The Reality Of The Unseen Realm

Reality walks into a Coffee Shop, but no one acknowledges it.

It sighs and mutters, “Figures. Everyone’s too busy living in their own little worlds.”

Meanwhile, Perception walks in right after, and the whole place cheers.

Reality groans, “Of course. Always the popular one.”

There is a difference between reality and perception. Today we are talking about the reality of Spiritual Battles. You can’t continue to live in perception when reality is staring you in the face.

Historical/Cultural Context -

Luke was a physician and a travel companion of the apostle Paul. He wrote the book of Acts. The earliest possible date of Acts is immediately after the events that Luke recorded in, which would have been c. A.D. 62. Acts is addressed to “Theophilus,” about whom nothing more is known. Luke’s broader audience consisted primarily of Gentile Christians like Theophilus who had already “been taught” about Jesus.

Biblical Text -

Acts 16:16–24 NKJV

Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling. This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that very hour. But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities. And they brought them to the magistrates, and said, “These men, being Jews, exceedingly trouble our city; and they teach customs which are not lawful for us, being Romans, to receive or observe.” Then the multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods. And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.

-[Prayer]-

Life Principle - Spiritual Battles Are Real, Not Everyone Likes It When God Gets Involved In Their Lives, And When That Happens How Will You Respond?

Life Point- Spiritual Battles Are Real

Exegetical -

Acts 16:16–18 NLT

One day as we were going down to the place of prayer, we met a slave girl who had a spirit that enabled her to tell the future. She earned a lot of money for her masters by telling fortunes. She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, and they have come to tell you how to be saved.” This went on day after day until Paul got so exasperated that he turned and said to the demon within her, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And instantly it left her.

Homiletical -

So Paul and his entourage are going to prayer but this slave girl who tells fortunes shows up and shouts over and over that These men are the servants, which is better translated as slaves, of the Most High God come to tell everyone how to be saved.

Is anything she said wrong?

NO

So what is bothering Paul?

It is the source from which it comes. It is important to remember that our enemy will use scripture against us. He will twist it and mock it and make you follow the wrong path.

Folks Satan and his minions are real. They work in the unseen realm. Constantly around us but unseen by us. Guess what? So does The Holy Spirit and God’s Angel armies.

There is a war going on for people’s very souls and our response should be to ask for His hedge, trust in Him, and deal with the enemy when he comes up.

Why does Paul wait to cast out this demon? Well, I am neither a prophet or the son of a prophet but I believe it is because he was waiting on the go ahead from Holy Spirit.

Now this Pythian slave girl was a fortune teller and she got her fortunes from a demon. So was she accurate? Probably. Because demons have background on people and they have the ability to move people to make things happen.

This fortune teller was kind of mocking them don’t you think? This demon who possessed her was either pushing her to do this or was taking control and making her do this.

Now this brings into question. Can a person be possessed? Yes they can.

Can a Christian be possessed? No. They can’t because you are already redeemed by the Most High God and the Spirit of God is already on the inside of you. Lightness and darkness can’t exist together.

Can a Christian be bugged by demons, which is known as oppression? Sure they can. Paul was feeling great harassment and annoyance at what was going on because of this demon. I am sure it weighed heavily on his mind.

The other question that comes to mind is how did Paul know this was a demon? I mean not just suspect but know for sure.

1 Corinthians 12:4–11 NKJV

There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

Notice two things in this scripture.

1) Paul was operating either in the Word of Knowledge or the discerning of Spirits

2) Notice that it says the Holy Spirit gives these gifts as He wills, not as we will. Not in a way of abuse of the gifts but in His good timing. Which is what we see happening with Paul here. It was in God’s good timing.

Illustration -

A soldier who had been deployed overseas. During a particularly intense battle, he felt a strange sense of peace despite the chaos surrounding him. He later attributed this peace to the prayers of his family and his church back home. This illustrates that spiritual warfare isn’t just fought on the battlefield, like Paul does here, but in our hearts and minds. Just as that soldier relied on the unseen support of prayer, we also have a God who fights for us in our darkest hours. We are not alone as these situations arise.

Life Point - Not Everyone Likes It When God Gets Involved

Exegetical -

Acts 16:18–19 NLT

This went on day after day until Paul got so exasperated that he turned and said to the demon within her, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And instantly it left her. Her masters’ hopes of wealth were now shattered, so they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities at the marketplace.

Homiletical -

Did Paul have to go through some elaborate ritual to release this girl from the demon’s power? NO!

He commanded that demon to come out of her immediately. There was no struggle.

Paul was prayed up and ready to deal with it, in God’s timing and it came out immediately.

Today you will find people that will say you have to get the demons name or use an elaborate ritual. This is not at all the case. Jesus cast out demons with a word. As does Paul here.

But Pastor what about those that must come out with prayer and fasting?

Matthew 17:19–21 NKJV

Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”

Now look at our text and notice Paul was going to prayer meeting everyday this girl was yelling out at them. He waited until he got God’s go ahead and his faith was ready.

Then he casts it out with but merely a word. So it is probable that this was one of those prayer and fasting situations.

Notice something else. God did a miracle for this girl but did everyone appreciate it? NO! Her owners were quite distraught by this. For they were making much money off of her.

So what do they do? They grab Paul and Silas and take them to the court. Now one thing you have to know about Rome. They hated anything and anyone that stirred up what they deemed as “trouble.” So they would deal with people harshly.

So being brought before the magistrate is not necessarily some place you want to be brought.

You can get in trouble for doing the work of God. Did you know in England if you are across the road praying silently in front of certain places like an abortion clinic that the good ole police will arrest you? Yeah, you aren’t bothering anyone but if they deem that you are praying you will be going to jail and a fine.

Did you know the same thing happened in our country and they gave them sentences? It took a presidential pardon from President Trump to get them out and cleared of those sentences.

I would normally say at this point that persecution of God’s people is coming, but folks it is already here and has been for a little bit. Hopefully we are in a time of rest from these kind of things going forward.

Pray for our church, community, state, and Federal Government.

Illustration -

Think about King Herod in the days of Jesus’ birth. When he heard of the Messiah’s arrival, Herod felt threatened and took terrible measures to eliminate this ‘rival.’ His fear of losing control and power led him to make terrible choices. Herod’s story is a reminder that when God steps into the chaos, it can provoke resistance from those who cling to their own ways and ambitions.

Life Point - Would You Be Willing To Suffer For The Sake Of The Gospel?

Exegetical -

Acts 16:20–24 NLT

“The whole city is in an uproar because of these Jews!” they shouted to the city officials. “They are teaching customs that are illegal for us Romans to practice.” A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods. They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn’t escape. So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks.

Homiletical -

Now you have the charges from these men that seized Paul and Silas.

First they tried to play the race card, stating that it was these Jews as if it were illegal to be Jews.

Remember Jews practiced their own religion and got away with certain things that the average Roman Citizen would not be able to do so. This was done to keep peace in the Roman Empire.

Second they said they were teaching illegal things that is not lawful for Roman Citizens. How could they make such a claim. Well, we know that they would not bow to Caesar and say that he is Lord. They would say Jesus is Lord. Now the penalty for this is imprisonment and quite possibly death.

These men stirred a mob up against them, of all things and so the leaders were emboldened to punish them. So Paul and Silas were stripped naked and beaten with wood rods. I am not sure if you have heard of caning that still goes on in some countries today, but this would have been much worse than even that. For they were severely beaten and thrown into not just a cell in a prison, but the most secure place in the prison.

They were put in the dungeon and their feet were shackled in stocks. Which is a piece of wood with two holes cut in half and then would be inserted around the ankles on one half and then the other would come around and clamp to the first piece of wood and that would be locked with locks so that they could not move.

All of this happened to them and we will see next week that this didn’t stop them from praising God.

Yet today people call themselves Christians but they can’t be bothered to come to church or to share the Gospel.

Would you still be able to share the Gospel in such a situation? Would you still be able to praise God?

That is something I would like you to ask yourself today and if the answer is no, then you and God need to spend some time figuring out why no and ask God for strength when that time comes.

Matthew 10:17–20 NLT

But beware! For you will be handed over to the courts and will be flogged with whips in the synagogues. You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell the rulers and other unbelievers about me. When you are arrested, don’t worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time. For it is not you who will be speaking—it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

Illustration -

During the early church, many believers faced severe persecution for their faith. One remarkable figure was Polycarp, the Bishop of Smyrna. When ordered to renounce Christ, he boldly declared, ‘Eighty and six years I have served Him, and He has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who saved me?’ Polycarp chose to suffer and ultimately died for the faith, becoming a symbol of unwavering commitment. His story challenges us to consider our own willingness to endure hardships for the sake of the Gospel.

And

In the 16th century, the Anabaptists faced brutal persecution for their beliefs. Many were executed for their convictions of adult baptism and separation from the state. One story recounts a woman named Margaretha, who stood firm in her faith despite being tortured. She declared to her captors, ‘I would rather suffer for the truth than live in doubt and fear.’ Her resolve exemplified a powerful commitment to her faith, reminding us that true discipleship often involves suffering and sacrifice for the sake of the Gospel.

Life Principle– Spiritual Battles Are Real, Not Everyone Likes It When God Gets Involved In Their Lives, And When That Happens How Will You Respond?

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