I loved going to the Oklahoma State Fair each year in early fall.  The heat of summer was ending as the air became cool and refreshing.  I loved the exhibits, fried food, and giveaways.  However, the Midway filled with carneys and barkers who tried to lure us in to games of chance—mostly with no chance of winning unless they decided to let you win—was eerily scary.  As a child my parents taught me how to navigate the Midway to get to the other side of greater things to see and do.

Come to find out, I’m not the only one who felt this way!  Max Lucado speaks of his own experience at the Texas State Fair;

“A gauntlet of barkers—each taking his turn. Dad had warned me about them. He knew the way of the midway. I can’t recall his exact instructions, but I remember the impact. I stuck next to him, my little hand lost in his big one. And every time I heard the voices, I turned to his face. He gave either protection or permission. A roll of the eyes meant “Move on.” He smelled a huckster. A smile and a nod said, “Go on—no harm here.”

My father helped me handle the voices.”

Why tell you this as we continue our journey with Paul through the province of Asia?  Paul taught the importance of God’s Holy Spirit of discernment to guide us to all truth.  Without calling on God to guide us through the “midway” of life, we will suffer harder times of navigating this world filled with a plethora of voices vying for our attention.  God, our Father in heaven, stands ready to help us handle the voices when we seek his face by praying in Jesus Name for discernment and wisdom.  Jesus promised!  “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth.” –Jesus, John 16:13 

Acts 19, The Message

19 ^1-2 Now, it happened that while Apollos was away in Corinth, Paul made his way down through the mountains, came to Ephesus, and happened on some disciples there. The first thing he said was, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? Did you take God into your mind only, or did you also embrace him with your heart? Did he get inside you?”

“We’ve never even heard of that—a Holy Spirit? God within us?”

³ “How were you baptized, then?” asked Paul.

“In John’s baptism.”

⁴ “That explains it,” said Paul. “John preached a baptism of radical life-change so that people would be ready to receive the One coming after him, who turned out to be Jesus. If you’ve been baptized in John’s baptism, you’re ready now for the real thing, for Jesus.”

^5-7 And they were. As soon as they heard of it, they were baptized in the name of the Master Jesus. Paul put his hands on their heads and the Holy Spirit entered them. From that moment on, they were praising God in tongues and talking about God’s actions. Altogether there were about twelve people there that day.

^8-10 Paul then went straight to the meeting place. He had the run of the place for three months, doing his best to make the things of the kingdom of God real and convincing to them. But then resistance began to form as some of them began spreading evil rumors through the congregation about the Christian way of life. So Paul left, taking the disciples with him, and set up shop in the school of Tyrannus, holding class there daily. He did this for two years, giving everyone in the province of Asia, Jews as well as Greeks, ample opportunity to hear the Message of the Master.

Witches Came out of the Woodwork

^11-12 God did powerful things through Paul, things quite out of the ordinary. The word got around and people started taking pieces of clothing—handkerchiefs and scarves and the like—that had touched Paul’s skin and then touching the sick with them. The touch did it—they were healed and whole.

^13-16 Some itinerant Jewish exorcists who happened to be in town at the time tried their hand at what they assumed to be Paul’s “game.” They pronounced the name of the Master Jesus over victims of evil spirits, saying, “I command you by the Jesus preached by Paul!” The seven sons of a certain Sceva, a Jewish high priest, were trying to do this on a man when the evil spirit talked back: “I know Jesus and I’ve heard of Paul, but who are you?” Then the possessed man went berserk—jumped the exorcists, beat them up, and tore off their clothes. Naked and bloody, they got away as best they could.

^17-20 It was soon news all over Ephesus among both Jews and Greeks. The realization spread that God was in and behind this. Curiosity about Paul developed into reverence for the Master Jesus. Many of those who thus believed stepped out into the light and made a clean break with their secret sorceries. All kinds of witches and warlocks came out of the woodwork with their books of spells and incantations and made a huge bonfire of them. Someone estimated their worth at fifty thousand silver coins. In such ways it became evident that the Word of the Master was now sovereign and prevailed in Ephesus.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

A little knowledge is dangerous.  The folks in Ephesus only had half the story.  They didn’t know about Jesus, so Paul the rest of the story!  (Read the book of Ephesians for what he taught the church!)  On Paul’s third missionary journey he corrected doctrinal misunderstandings that had been creeping into the churches. Here is a sample:

“Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them.

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord.” Ephesians 5:6-10, NIV

The power to change comes from God. Magical formulas and magic words cannot secure this power. Christ conquered evil. So we are more than conquerors by His power working in us by God’s Holy Spirit!  It is Jesus who overcomes the enemy God who tempts us with distraction and deception through the voices of his demons who hover around us.  Satan is a liar and can be a loud one, at that!  He can also appear as an angel of light, who lures us in by telling us what he has for us is what we deserve.  Yikes!   This is why we pray daily for the guidance of God’s Holy Spirit to show us truth.

Jesus will not be diminished. Jesus has already won the war with Satan!  But until Jesus returns for His own, daily skirmishes will be fought with our real enemy who never tires in distracting us from all that is God. 

Jesus is our overcomer so we, as believers, can be overcomers with Him!  HE is our distinctive voice in our noisy world. We do not have to walk the midway of barking voices alone if we keep our hand in His and our eyes on His face.  And when He speaks: “Listen to Him.”

“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them.” 1 John 4:4-5

“We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.” 1 John 4:6

“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 5:15-20, NIV

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:10-12 

“…and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”  Matthew 17:5

Lord,

Thank you for saving my soul and making me whole. Thank you for the gift of Your Holy Spirit who guides us to what is true and right. Help all who believe to hear Your Voice above all other voices with humble, obedient hearts today and always.  I’m yours.  I’m listening.

In Jesus Name, Amen