The Power That Prevails
Notes
Transcript
Intro: Theme/Topic (What’s the problem, the question, etc.)
Power. It’s what drives much of the world around us. The power to conquer, to create, to control. We chase it in different forms — success, wealth, influence, control over others, even mastery over ourselves.
This hunger isn’t new. Alexander the Great conquered most of the known world by the age of 30. With unmatched military genius, he built an empire stretching from Greece to India. Yet history tells us that when he finally reached the edge of his conquests, he wept — because there were no more worlds left to conquer. He had gained everything, yet it still wasn’t enough.
Centuries later, in a 2005 interview, Jim Carrey, who at the time was one of the most recognizable faces in entertainment, said, “I think everybody should get rich and famous and everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that that’s not the answer.”
Even our stories recognize this truth. In The Lord of the Rings, the Ring promises ultimate power to anyone who possesses it — yet every person who grasps it is eventually enslaved by it. The very thing they believe will give them control ends up controlling them.
From ancient kings, to modern icons, to the stories we tell, humanity’s craving for power is the same — and so is the outcome. We keep looking for something powerful enough to satisfy us, to change us, and to heal what’s broken in our lives and in our world — but every kind of power we reach for ends up hollow or corrupting.
Which leaves us asking:
What kind of power can truly transform our lives? Our families? Our country? Our world?
That’s the question our passage today in Acts 19 answers. So, grab your Bibles and turn there now and let’s see this for ourselves.
Scripture
I’m going to read Acts 19:11-20. If you need to use a pew Bible, you’ll find it on page 1103. Once you’re there, please stand with me if you are able and follow along with me as I read...
And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul,
so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them.
Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.”
Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this.
But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?”
And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled.
Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices.
And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver.
So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.
This God’s Word!
Prayer
Lord, Your word is a great treasure. May the Holy Spirit apply it to our hearts this morning to make wise the simple and revive souls. We ask this in Jesus name — AMEN!
Intro: Formal (give context to passage, setting the scene, big idea)
Remember, Paul’s ministry in Ephesus takes place during his third missionary journey. After traveling through the regions of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening the believers there, he arrives in Ephesus. And we left off last week seeing that Paul spent two years there ministering in the hall of Tyrannus — and during this time Luke tells us that all the residents of Asia heard about Jesus!
Now, understand that Ephesus was major city of the Roman Empire — a center of trade, religion, and spiritual darkness. Ephesus was famous for the great temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, but it was also infamous for its obsession with the magic arts and the occult.
The people of Ephesus were captivated by power — not political power, but spiritual power. Ancient inscriptions from the city mention the “Ephesian letters,” these were magical incantations that people believed could heal diseases, protect from evil spirits, or secure success in life. Sorcery, superstition, and demonic deception shaped their culture.
And this raises a question: What kind of power could possibly break through such deep spiritual bondage? What power could free people who were enslaved by fear, idolatry, and deception?
Our text today shows us that Jesus alone has the power to break the dark stronghold of the occult and transform lives. And this brings us to the Big Question we began with today…
What kind of power can truly transform my life?
What kind of power can heal the brokenness of my life, my marriage, my family, of our world?
The answer we’ll see unfold in Acts 19:11–20:
The Jesus triumphs over all rival powers, exposing false faith and transforming lives through genuine revival.
We’ll see this truth play out in three movements:
The Power of Jesus Demonstrated (vv.11–12) – God’s power displayed through Paul’s ministry.
The Power of Jesus Distinguished (vv.13–16) – false power exposed by the reality of Christ’s authority.
The Power of Jesus Declared (vv.17–20) – lives transformed as the name of Jesus is exalted.
Let’s look first at how the power of Jesus was demonstrated in Ephesus — a city that prided itself on its spiritual power but had never encountered anything like this.
The Power of Jesus Demonstrated
The Power of Jesus Demonstrated
Luke tells us in verses 11–12 that “God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul.” That word extraordinary literally means “not of the ordinary kind.” In other words, what was happening in Ephesus was something special — something beyond what was typically seen even in the early church.
We’re told that handkerchiefs and aprons — likely Paul’s sweat rags and work aprons from his tentmaking trade — were carried off to the sick, and when they touched them, diseases left and evil spirits came out! That’s remarkable.
It’s not the first time we’ve seen something like this. In Luke 8, a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years was healed simply by touching the fringe of Jesus’ garment — not because His clothing had magic power, but because she believed in the One wearing it. In Acts 5, people laid the sick in the streets hoping Peter’s shadow might fall on them as he passed by — and the Lord healed them!
In every case, the power was never in the object — not in the fabric, not in the shadow, not even in the Apostle. It was always in God Himself. Verse 11 makes this unmistakably clear: “God was doing extraordinary miracles through the hands of Paul.”
That distinction is crucial. Even today, there are religious hucksters who claim to sell holy water, blessed cloths, or miracle oils — preying on people’s desperation. But Scripture cuts through that deception. Power doesn’t flow through gimmicks; it flows from the living God who alone holds the power to heal, to save, and to deliver.
Miracles were never meant to be the ordinary, daily expectation of believers. They were signs, confirming the message of the apostles — signposts pointing people to the truth of the gospel.
Paul himself reminds the Corinthians of this when he writes,
The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works.
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Now, the question we should ask here is why did God choose to do such extraordinary miracles in Ephesus?
Remember, Ephesus was a city obsessed with power — not political power, but spiritual power. The city was steeped in the occult. People practiced sorcery, collected magic scrolls, and spoke spells invoking demonic forces. So, what did God do? He met them right where they were — and He showed them a power that made all their so-called powers look pitiful.
This was sheer grace. God didn’t owe the Ephesians a single miracle. Paul could have preached and moved on. But the Lord, in mercy, stooped down to speak to them in a language they would understand — the language of power.
And appreciate the fact that God used extremely ordinary items like Paul’s sweat rags to draw even more attention to the fact that God can display his power through absolutely anything. You don’t need to spend $19.95 on specially anointed holy water! God can use a sweat rag from a tentmaker for FREE!!!
And through these miracles, God was announcing: “There is a power greater than your idols, your spells, and your charms — the power of My Son, Jesus Christ.”
Think about that for a moment:
God still meets people in their false pursuits today.
To those who chase wealth, He shows the bankruptcy of a full bank account and an empty heart.
To the spiritual seeker dabbling in New Age mysticism, He shows that peace doesn’t come from energy or crystals, but from the Prince of Peace Himself.
To the self-sufficient achiever, He shows the limits of human strength — so that they might turn to His.
God still speaks our language today — not necessarily through “extraordinary miracles,” but through the power of His Word and Spirit displayed through the ordinary lives of those who follow Christ.
Every time a hard heart softens, every time a sinner repents, every time a family reconciles — that is the power of Jesus demonstrated.
So before we move on, let’s ask ourselves:
Where have I been looking for power apart from Jesus?
Where have I been hoping for change through human effort, self-help, or worldly wisdom — when real transformation only comes through the living God?
The same God who worked powerfully through Paul is still working today — not through handkerchiefs or aprons, but through the living Word and the indwelling Spirit of Christ in His people.
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But God wasn’t done yet. In our next point we will see how God was not content to just display His power as one among many other powers. In verses 13-17 we will see God distinguish His power as the one and only true power!
The Power of Jesus Distinguished
The Power of Jesus Distinguished
In verses 13–14, we meet the “seven sons of Sceva.” It sounds like the name of a rock band, but Luke tells us they were Jewish exorcists who claimed to be sons of a high priest named Sceva. Now, there’s no record of a high priest by that name, so it’s likely they simply used the title to boost their reputation — and their profits.
These men were religious entrepreneurs — professional spell-casters. They made a living invoking various divine names and formulas to impress crowds and make money. They were the kind of men who could talk about spiritual power all day long but didn’t actually know the God of power.
Then one day, they heard about Paul. They saw what happened when Paul spoke the name of Jesus — people were healed, demons fled, and the crowds were in awe. And so, thinking they had found a new formula to add to their spiritual toolkit, they tried to cash in.
Verse 13 says, “They undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, ‘I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.’”
Now notice that phrase — “the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.” They didn’t know Jesus personally. They only knew Him secondhand. They knew the name but not the Person.
And that’s when everything falls apart. The evil spirit responds, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?”
That’s one of the most chilling questions in the Bible. “Who are you?” In other words: You have no authority here. You’re using a name that you don’t belong to.
And before they could say a word in response, the demonized man leapt on them, and gave them such a bad whoop’n, that they ran out of the house naked. As Pastor Alistair Begg jokes, perhaps we should call them “The Seven Streakers of Sceva.”
It’s both humorous and horrifying. But more than God used this moment to make a public statement in Ephesus: The name of Jesus is not a charm to be wielded. It is not a force to be controlled. It is the authority of the living God — and it only belongs to those who truly belong to Him.
The problem with the sons of Sceva is not that they spoke the wrong words — it’s that they didn’t know the right Person. They wanted the power of Jesus without the lordship of Jesus. They wanted to use His name without submitting to Him.
In the ancient world, a person’s name represented their identity, character, and authority. To invoke someone’s name was to act under their delegated power. But you can’t speak with the King’s authority if you don’t belong to His kingdom.
That’s why the evil spirit said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” The forces of darkness know exactly who belongs to Christ — and who doesn’t.
It’s reminiscent of another story — back in 1 Samuel 4, when Israel took the Ark of the Covenant into battle thinking it would guarantee victory over the Philistines. They thought, “As long as the Ark is with us, we can’t lose.” But they treated the symbol of God’s presence like a lucky charm — and God let them be defeated. The Ark was captured, and the people were humbled. Why? Because God will not let His name be used as a prop for human self ambition.
This is exactly what the third commandment in Exodus 20 forbids: “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.”
“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.
It doesn’t primarily mean we shouldn’t use God’s name as a curse word — which we shouldn’t. It first means that we must not misuse His name — treating it lightly, invoking it for selfish ends, or using it as a cover for our own agenda.
This is how the pagans related to their many false gods — But God will not allow His name to be used this way!
And that’s not just an ancient problem — it’s alive and well today.
We see it whenever people try to use Jesus as a means to an end:
The televangelist who promises healing or financial blessing if you’ll just “sow a seed” into their ministry.
The politician who invokes the name of God to sanctify their platform while their life shows zero evidence of submission to Him.
The person who prays only when they need something with no intention of changing their lifestyle, as if God were a cosmic vending machine.
The person who wears the name of Christ around their necks, on their t-shirts or puts His name on their car as a bumper sticker — but who shows no evidence of actually living under His authority in their daily decisions.
These are all modern examples of “The Jesus whom Paul proclaims.” They know about Him — but they don’t know Him.
And the truth is, that temptation lives in all of us. It’s possible to talk about Jesus, sing about Jesus, even serve in His name — and yet treat Him as a means to our own comfort, success, or image.
So we must ask: Do I know Jesus personally, or do I just know about Him? Am I walking in His authority, or just borrowing His name when it’s convenient?
Right now is a good time to pause and reflect on a sobering warning that Jesus once gave us in Matthew 7 when he said…
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’
And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
Those are chilling words — because they show us that it’s possible to know Jesus’ name and even do things in His name, and yet never truly know Him.
The most important question you can ever answer is not “Do I go to church?” or “Do I believe in God?”
It’s this: Does Jesus know me?
Have I come to Him in repentance and faith — trusting Him as my Savior, submitting to Him as my Lord, and finding my life in Him alone?
The gospel is not about using Jesus to make your life better — it’s about surrendering your life to Jesus because He is better than life.
It’s not about invoking His name when you’re in trouble — it’s about belonging to His name every day.
And the good news is that the same Jesus whose name the sons of Sceva tried to use is the Jesus who invites you to come and know Him personally today.
And alone made this possible because He died for to pay for the sins that separate you from Him. And He rose in power, and stands ready to forgive, redeem, and fill you with His Spirit so that His power might work through you.
So before we move on, I need to ask you:
If you were to stand before Jesus today, would He say, “I know you”?
If not, He can — right now.
There’s no magic words or incantations you need to say. Simply call out to Him from your heart in repentance and faith asking Him to forgive you and make you part of His forever family.
Stop trying to use His name and start trusting in His grace.
Because there is no greater tragedy than to speak the name of Jesus your whole life and never know the Person behind it.
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So, we’ve see the story of the sons of Sceva teaches us —
You can’t use Jesus; you can only be used by Jesus.
You can’t control Him; you must surrender to Him.
The name of Jesus is not a tool in our hands; it’s the banner under which we live and serve.
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Now when God exposes false faith — it’s meant to wake us up.
And that’s exactly what happens next. The humiliation of these seven men becomes a spark that ignites genuine repentance and revival throughout Ephesus.
The Power of Jesus Declared
The Power of Jesus Declared
In verse 17 we see the incredible impact this event had on the residents of Ephesus:
And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled.
This wasn’t a superstitious fear. It was a holy fear—the kind that comes when you suddenly realize that Jesus isn’t just another name among many, but the one true and living God before whom all people will one day stand accountable.
And this fear didn’t paralyze them—it moved them to worship. Luke says, “the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled.” The people of Ephesus began to lift high the name that had been mocked, misused, and imitated—and they confessed Him as Lord!
Then in verse 18, we see what true belief looks like:
Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices.
They didn’t hide their sin. They brought it into the light. They openly confessed their former occult practices, knowing that Jesus refuses to share His throne with any rival power. They realized you can’t cling to your idols and call Jesus Lord at the same time.
And it wasn’t just talk. Verse 19 shows us repentance in action:
And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver.
They didn’t just put them away. They didn’t sell them. They destroyed them—publicly!
Luke even includes the detail that the value of those books was fifty thousand pieces of silver. That’s the equivalent of several million dollars today! Imagine the sight—an enormous bonfire lighting up the Ephesian night sky as people renounced the darkness and declared their allegiance to Jesus Christ alone!
That reminds me of a modern-day Ephesian moment that happened right here in our church a few years ago. Many of you remember Colleen. Before she met Jesus, she was deeply involved in new age spirituality and occult practices. But when she came to faith, God opened her eyes to the darkness she’d been caught in.
She told me how one day she gathered all her crystals, books, and other materials—worth thousands of dollars—and burned them in her backyard. Her dad asked, “Why not sell them and use the money?” But she said, “I don’t want these things to deceive anyone else the way they deceived me.”
That’s true repentance. Costly, courageous, joyful repentance.
And that’s what’s happening in Acts 19. These believers didn’t care about the financial cost, because they had found something infinitely more valuable. As Jesus said:
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Notice that phrase—“in his joy.” This wasn’t out of duty. This was joy-filled surrender.
When Jesus opens your eyes to who He really is, repentance doesn’t feel like loss—it feels like freedom.
Jim Elliot, the missionary who gave his life bringing the gospel to the Auca people of Ecuador, captured it perfectly:
“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
Church, this what genuine revival looks like. When the name of Jesus is exalted and idols burn. Because when Jesus is treasured above all else, sin loses its grip.
So let me ask you—what needs to go into the fire in your life?
What have you been clinging to that’s competing with Jesus for your heart?
Maybe it’s a secret sin, a toxic habit, an idol of comfort, control, or approval.
Whatever it is—don’t sell it, don’t store it—surrender it.
Because when Jesus reigns, He doesn’t just rearrange your life—He transforms it.
And Luke closes this section with a beautiful contrasting summary in verse 20:
So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.
All the idolatry of Ephesus ended up in ash heap while the Word of the Lord kept spreading like wildfire—changing hearts, transforming lives, and proving that the name of Jesus still prevails over every rival power!
Conclusion/Response (Gospel & Repent/Believe)
From the days of Alexander the Great to Jim Carrey to The Lord of the Rings, the story of humanity is one long search for power — power to control, to conquer, to be free. But every form of worldly or spiritual power eventually turns hollow. It promises freedom, but delivers bondage.
There’s only one power that truly transforms — the power of Jesus Christ.
That’s what Acts 19 has shown us this morning.
We’ve seen:
The Power of Jesus Demonstrated — God showing through Paul that His power is real, not magical or manmade.
The Power of Jesus Distinguished — when what is false is exposed, as the sons of Sceva learned you can’t borrow the name of Jesus without belonging to Him.
The Power of Jesus Declared — as the gospel triumphed, idols burned, and the name of Jesus was exalted.
And here’s the main idea again:
Jesus triumphs over all rival powers, exposing false faith and transforming lives through genuine revival.
That’s not just an Ephesian story — that’s our story.
Because the same Jesus who ruled over evil spirits and idols in Ephesus still reigns today.
His name still breaks chains. His Word still prevails. His Spirit still transforms hearts.
So let me bring us back to that Big Question we asked at the beginning:
What kind of power can truly transform your life, your family, your world?
Not political power. Not willpower. Not mystical power.
Only the power of the crucified and risen Christ.
And that power is not something you use — it’s Someone you know.
So I’ll ask you again:
Do you know Him?
Does He know you?
If not, today is the day to come to Him in repentance and faith — to stop trying to control your life and surrender it to the only One strong enough to save you.
And those of you who already believe — maybe there are still things in your life that need to go into the fire.
Maybe it’s a sin you’ve been hiding,
A habit you excuse,
Or an idol you’ve been protecting.
Let today be your Ephesian moment — where you bring it to the light, and burn it for the glory of Christ. Because when the name of Jesus is exalted, idols fall, and freedom begins.
Church, this is the power that changes everything.
The same power that worked through Paul in Ephesus and the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is at work in you who believe —
Not to make you famous, but to make you faithful.
Not to give you control, but to make you whole.
And one day, that power will raise us up to live with Him forever.
So let’s lift high His name — because the powerful name of Jesus still prevails.
Prayer
Closing Song: Christ Our Hope In Life And Death
Closing Words
As we’ve just sung — “What truth can calm the troubled soul? God is good, God is good.”
Our hope in life and in death is not found in our strength, or in any other power, but in Christ alone.
If you’ve never trusted in Christ as your Savior — if you’re not sure that you truly know Him and that He knows you — then today can be the day that changes everything for you. After the service you’re invited to come to the front, where there will be some people who would love to pray with you and help you take that step of faith to trust in Jesus.
And if God has been stirring something in your heart — maybe a next step of obedience, repentance, baptism, or joining this church family — you can let us know by filling out one of the orange “Next Steps” cards in the pew pocket in front of you. Drop it in the box at the Welcome counter on your way out, and we’ll follow up with you this week.
Now Church, we’ve seen today that when the name of Jesus is exalted, idols fall and lives are changed. So let’s go out this week bearing the authority of that name — the name that still breaks chains and transforms lives. And may our homes, our workplaces, our schools, and our community see that the power of Jesus is real and alive in His people.
Benediction
Ephesians 3:20–21
“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”
