Hollow Shells

Acts 19:11 And l God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them. 13 Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.” 14 Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. 15 But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?”

Have you noticed how our society seems obsessed with learning "how to do things" and "models" that work? I am a huge believer in both, but not if the obsession for learning the model comes at the expense of actually fulfilling the model. I see people who would rather attend 7 bible studies a week on "How to spend time with God", than simply spending time with God. I see people share "their" faith by recommending books and sermons by other people. Wouldn't it be better to share your faith, since you have the relationship? I see people wanting the "secret" to my business model and when I tell them it is prayer and relying humbly on God, even though it frustrates my flesh, they seem let down. They seem to want a magic button, or the next great revelation that will suddenly empower all of these things. The power for all things is already in place and His name is Jesus. He alone brings the power of God into this world and communion with Him is how we access His Holy Power.

Look at the contrast between the work of God through Paul and the work of the 7 sons of Sceva. They functionally did the same thing (a.k.a. -their model was the same). The difference was Paul's actions were initiated by God and empowered by the Holy Spirit and so His actions had a "Holy Fuel" that enabled God's will to occur. The 7 sons of Sceva did the same thing (followed the same model), they just didn't have divine power in their model, so it failed miserably. It should be a huge teaching point for us all in a day in which we can run to fit a mold, instead of allowing Christ to simply recreate your unique one for you.

The hardest thing to do today is to spend quiet time in prayer at the feet of Jesus. Without that time, our models are hollow shells of what they could be - change agents of the World.

When is the last time you got alone with God with the anticipation of a "hot date"? It is the very spot where living water is poured into our spirits! Don't go through life as a hollow shell - consume Christ and be filled.