Day 197: Psalms 17-19; Acts 19:1-20

Pretenders are all around us. The account of the seven sons of Sceva in Acts 19:11-20 has always fascinated me...and reminded me that 'pretending' is very dangerous. Outside pretenders will always be there. However, the right kind of 'fear of God' was put into the hearts of the Ephesian Christians after they witnessed the scattering sons, naked and humiliated. It was then that they realized that pretending can be a hazard in the church. Quickly, they dealt with everything that was a hindrance to their deeper journey, completely removing anything from their lives that was unlike Jesus, and especially that which was full of the evil of their past lives. When this happened, 'the word of the Lord spread and prevailed' (Acts 19:20). The underlying power of this transformation, indeed the overwhelming power of this transformation is the infilling of the Holy Spirit (Acts 19:2f). He keeps us from being pretenders by empowering us to be  holy people. My devotions have been focused on this very thing. Writes E.M. Bounds: "We must therefore constantly and earnestly pray to be made holy. Not that we are to do holy, but rather to be holy. Being must precede doing." The Psalmist prayed a great prayer to this end:

"Who can discern his errors?
    Declare me innocent from hidden faults.
Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins;
    let them not have dominion over me!
Then I shall be blameless,
    and innocent of great transgression.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
    be acceptable in your sight,
    O Lord, my rock and my redeemer." (Psalm 19:12-14, ESV)