Building a Spiritual Profile

The sons of Sceva could not drive out the demons, instead the demons drove them out. What! These people were doing supernatural stuff, but they had no spiritual authority. Their spiritual profile was thus non-existing.  What is your Spiritual Profile?

STUDY: Acts 19:11-20

When one study this chapter from beginning to the end, you will find certain conditions for the church to have a real impact on a region. 

• Right Foundations – Acts 19:1-5 Baptised in water, as believers. Baptised with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of the ability to speak in tongues and prophecy. 
• Studying the word from 10:00 – 15:00 (5 hours per day) for two years, saturating the whole region. Acts 19:9-10
• Removed themselves from those who hold on to religion and traditions – Acts 19:8
• “Miracles Glorify Christ” interweaved with everyday life! – Unusual miracles? Why? Two Greek words gives us the answer.
  – Soudarion – Handkerchief used for whipping of sweat
  – Simikinthion – A narrow apron or linen covering worn by workmen and servants
• DUALISM and separation between work and ministry removed.
• The Gospel was preached with demonstration of power, and might manifestations, creating an expectation, that even the outsiders tried to copy the methods.
• The power of Magic, idolatry and false religion was broken, people burn their magic books, no longer buy shrines bringing a whole industry to a halt.
• So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed Acts 19:20 (Acts 6:7; 12:24; 13:49.)

This story is an indictment against those who worship religion, playing church.

You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God. Mat 22:29

1. verbs for “know” used here by the evil spirit (i.e., the demon). He said, Jesus I know (ginōsko, “to know by interaction and experience”), and he added, Paul I know about (epistamai, “to know about, to understand”). But the demon did not know Sceva’s sons. We are suppose to have authority over demons Luk 10:19. The kingdom power within is manifested when demons flee. Mat 12:28 God expect us to confront and overcome the evil one. 1 John 2:13 Like Jesus we have to say; “away with you, it is written”
2. You do not build a spiritual profile, it cannot be build, it is established for you by obedience. 
3. Social media is a false profile, you cannot fake a spiritual profile. You can feel the presence of the Lord, around someone who have been with God, and who has an active prayer life.
4. Social media can be setup quickly, a spiritual profile takes time. Social media is about image, self, ego-centred your spiritual profile is built through humility and obedience, taking up your cross moments of self-denial
5. A reputation. Ecclesiastes 7:1 A good name is better than precious ointment. Proverbs 3:4 Earn a reputation for living well in God’s eyes and the eyes of the people.  Cornelius goods works reached heaven Acts 10
6. Social media seeks an audience, likes, followers… one seeking to build a spiritual standing, lives for the audience of one! God! How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God. John 5:44
7. Mat 7:21-23 I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’  Luke 6:46 But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say? These people were doing supernatural stuff, yet God does not know them. Lawnessness: 458. ἀνομία anomía; gen. anomías, from ánomos (G0459), lawless. Lawlessness. In most cases in the NT it means not the absence of the Law, but the violation of Law, (thus meaning, you know the law, yet choose to transgress it).  
8. In 1 John 3:4, we have a statement which relates hamartía (G0266), the general word for sin, and anomía. A literal translation of this verse is: “Whosoever commits the sin [on a continual basis] also commits [continuously] lawlessness [anomían], and the sin is the lawlessness” (a.t.). Sin (hamartía) is missing the mark ordained by God and not by us. God has placed in our hearts an innate knowledge of what is good and evil. There may not be any specific law which we violate when we sin, but that does not make sin any less sinful.
9. By implication, anomía is sin, iniquity, unrighteousness that continue in secret make the church powerless.  Like the pharisees, and religious people,  “Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness” Matt. 23:28; Rom. 4:7; (by implication our sinful deeds, where we miss the mark, knowing the mark, And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. Mat 14:12)
10. For if we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, Heb 10:26-39 Just: right, just. Righteous, just. Used in the neut. tó díkaion, that which is right, conformable to right, pertaining to right, that which is just. This is expected by the one who sets the rules and regulations whereby man must live, whether that be society or God. Therefore, it means that which is expected as duty and which is claimed as a right because of one’s conformity to the rules of God or society. Conscientious, blameless, even-handed, honest, fair-minded, authentic, meticulous, punctual, honourable “The just shall live by faith” Hab 2:4; Rom 1:17; Gal 3:11;

Grace is not a license to sin, but the power and divine ability not to sin.