Jesus welcomed the people, taught them about the Kingdom of God and healed those in need. Luke 9:11

Seeds of the Kingdom

Radical Discipleship

by Peter Horrobin

A number who had practised sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas (pieces of silver). In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.
Acts 19:19-20, NIV

Becoming a Christian is not just a case of looking forward to Heaven when we die, but it’s also choosing to separate ourselves from former things in our lives here on Earth which were ungodly. If we try and live for God without separating ourselves from the things of the enemy, then they will become a curse on our lives which may, even, drag us back into the ungodliness of our former lives.

These converts to the faith owned some very valuable things – the books which gave them the knowledge to practise sorcery. It was these that gave them the ability to earn money through what they did. Knowledge is power and can be converted into wealth when others want what we’ve got! These books were valuable, but they were also evil – they made no attempt to sell them, not even to give the money to the poor, for whoever had got hold of and used these books would be trapped into the enemy’s control. Radical action was needed – a good bonfire!

It’s vital that we are just as radical with ungodly things in our own home. Leave them there and they are a source of spiritual danger. But if we choose to follow the same path as these new Christians in Ephesus, and destroy any of the works of the evil one that might still be in our possession, then we will not only be freed from their power, but also know God’s blessing on our lives.

In Ephesus, it was this that witnessed so powerfully to the surrounding people – and as a result the word of the Lord spread through the region. Many times I have watched as people destroyed such things and then entered into the joy of the Lord as a result. God always honours those who honour Him by being obedient to His Word.

Prayer: Help me, Lord, to identify anything in my home which should have been got rid of. I do not want to give houseroom to any of the works of the enemy. I choose to cleanse my home of all the works of darkness. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Peter Horrobin is the Founding and International Director of Ellel Ministries. The work was originally established in 1986 as a ministry of healing in the north-west of England, but today the work has spread round the world, with Ellel Centres in over thirty nations. Peter has been doing lots of writing recently, including the "Journey to Life" series which can be purchased online at sovereignworld.com.

 

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