Authorization Cleared.

Are you an “authorized dealer”?

Not everyone is authorized to conduct kingdom business. On Sunday Pastor Andy briefly referred to an incident involving the sons of Sceva, men who were not authorized to use the name of Jesus:

God was performing extraordinary miracles by Paul’s hands, so that when even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his body were brought to the sick, their diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them. But some itinerant Jewish exorcists tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were possessed by evil spirits, saying, “I sternly warn you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.” (Now seven sons of a man named Sceva, a Jewish high priest, were doing this.) But the evil spirit replied to them, “I know about Jesus and I am acquainted with Paul, but who are you?” Then the man who was possessed by the evil spirit jumped on them and beat them all into submission. He prevailed against them so that they fled from that house naked and wounded. (Acts 19:11-16, NET)

At a local store, a couple of people in the checkout line had an in-depth conversation about a celebrity. The conversation was peppered with the phrases “I heard that…”; “I read that…”; but there was no indication of an intimate relationship. They had never met the person, so there was no personal knowledge. It was all hearsay. This was the hard lesson learned by the sons of Sceva. These seven men were overpowered and defeated by an evil spirit. Why? Because, though they were trained in exorcism, they had no personal relationship with the Lord whose name they attempted to invoke during the deliverance ministry.

Authorized dealers have more than just training in what to say; these specialized dealers have intimate knowledge of the brand and product they carry in their store. In the case of Peter and John, their use of the name of Jesus was backed by their relationship with Him.

When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple courts, he asked them for money. Peter looked directly at him (as did John) and said, “Look at us!” So the lame man paid attention to them, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, “I have no silver or gold, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, stand up and walk!” Then Peter took hold of him by the right hand and raised him up, and at once the man’s feet and ankles were made strong. He jumped up, stood and began walking around, and he entered the temple courts with them, walking and leaping and praising God. (Acts 3:3-8, NET)

As we pray on behalf of those who need the power of God to touch their lives, let us remember that it is not enough to merely be trained.

God, as we grow in our relationship with You, please commission us as authorized dealers of Your mercy and grace.