The Devil Turns On His Own
God gave Paul the power to perform unusual miracles. When handkerchiefs or aprons that had merely touched his skin were placed on sick people, they were healed of their diseases, and evil spirits were expelled. A group of Jews was traveling from town to town casting out evil spirits. They tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus in their incantation, saying, “I command you in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, to come out!” Seven sons of Sceva, a leading priest, were doing this. But one time when they tried it, the evil spirit replied, “I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?” Then the man with the evil spirit leaped on them, overpowered them, and attacked them with such violence that they fled from the house, naked and battered. Acts 19:11-16 (New Living Translation, NLT)
The devil is the antithesis, or the exact opposite, of God. Any characteristic that God has, the devil has the polar opposite. Since God is good, there is no goodness at all in satan. He is not loyal and has no regard for anyone or anything except himself. Even those over whom he rules in his kingdom- the demonic entities in his rank and file- follow him out of fear and intimidation, not because of any good quality he possesses. There is no such thing as loyalty n the kingdom of darkness.
Witchcraft and the occult are in full operation today, just as in times past. As a matter of fact, there is less effort made these days to hide their satanic activities than before. For example, we often hear of famous entertainers and others in places of influence who say they have sold their souls to the devil in exchange for fame and power and wealth. It is evident that the entire abortion industry is dedicated to slaying infants as human sacrifices. And the majority of movies, books, television shows, and books carry dark, occult themes. There are many who profess to be followers of the devil and call him their lord. They even fight for their right to be recognized by government as an official religion. These deceived people believe they will be rewarded by their master, satan, for their dedication to him and for promoting his evil agenda. Have they ever been duped!
The seven sons of Sceva, who were not followers of Christ, attempted to use the name of Jesus to cast out an evil spirit. Since they were not for Jesus, they were against Jesus, meaning that they were really serving the devil. Although they were on “the same side” as the demon, the evil spirit turned on them and attacked them, causing them great physical harm.
People who follow the devil believe they will be rewarded for what they are doing for him. It is true that those who have been foolish enough to choose the devil over Jesus have a reward coming- but it isn’t good. Although they may receive money and other worldly things in this life, these people are in for a rude awakening the very second they breathe their last breath. The devil will laugh with glee as they plummet to the fiery depths of hell to be tormented forever. That’s who he is and how he operates. He is a liar and a destroyer. He has no loyalty and definitely no love for anyone or anything except himself. And at the final judgment, those who have followed him will get the same reward that he does- eternity spent in the lake of fire.
For those followers of satan who are yet alive, there is still the opportunity to avoid such a fate. Renounce satan and receive Jesus as your only Lord and Savior. He died to save you from the destination that awaits those on the devil’s team. The devil will always turn on those who follow Him, but Jesus never will.
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