There is an interesting and powerful message for us in the nineteenth chapter of the Book of Acts. It takes place while Paul is in Ephesus. Something happened that I have always wondered about as he ministered there. But before we get there we need a little background on the impact that his ministry had on the Ephesians.

As I wrote in detail in The Dangers To Rest, the city of Ephesus was the center of worship of Artemis (Diana); the fertility and prosperity goddess. The city was filled with superstition, sorcery, spiritualism, and false reasoning. The Temple of Artemis was one of the seven wonders of the then-known world. It was a huge centerpiece of the city: 27 marble pillars inlaid with precious stones and the outside was covered in gold. It was 425 feet long and 220 feet wide, and 60 feet high; comprising a massive 93,500 square feet (over 2 acres); the size of a Kmart store. It was the spiritual pride of Ephesus and the center of ritual prostitution… enough said.

For over two years Paul ministered the Gospel in Ephesus and many received salvation as a result of the miracles God performed at the hands of Paul. But it was here that God did something very interesting that has always puzzled me. It seemed as though He took their eyes off of Him and put them on Paul?

Acts 19:11-12 And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul… and the evil spirits went out of them. 

This, as we know, resulted in Jewish exorcists taking it upon themselves to call on the name of Jesus to cast out demons. And that didn’t work out very well, as witness the thrashing the seven sons of Sceva received (Acts 19:14-16). But what that did was further the peoples’ interest in Paul and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified (17). As a result, many who practiced magic were saved and they brought their “magic books” and burned them. In fact they brought books worth 50,000 pieces of silver… today that would be in excess of $10 million.

But here is the part that has always had me scratching my head…

 Acts 19:12 So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.

Evil spirits were exorcised by handkerchiefs and aprons… from Paul! Why all the focus on Paul?

Well, the power at work through Paul was so great that the Ephesians actually believed that the handkerchiefs and aprons he wore while working at his trade would have his power. Superstition? Probably. But the Lord consented to meet their need because of Paul’s clear preaching of the power of the name of Jesus. Yes, the articles of clothing were not powerful in themselves, it was because of what the people heard and witnessed that made them believe they held power.

What was happening was the Holy Spirit was waging war against the evil that was fully entrenched in Ephesus, and when the name of Jesus was proclaimed He performed miracles. This is a beautiful example of God meeting people right where they are and taking them on from point. Add to that the exposure of seven sons of Sceva and the difference between magic and miracles had a profound impact on the whole city… they came confessing and telling their deeds (20); they confessed their false dependence on magic. God does the same thing in the face of “magic” today.

Ephesus believed in its very own brand of magic and we have ours. The magic of “money” dominates lives today. But when people receive the Gospel message and are filled with His Spirit, that false god is confronted. It is only then that they are able to address their dependence on the “magic” of money to solve all their needs. It is when our trust and confidence is in Jehovah Jireh, our provider, that we are free from the bondage of money. Yes, we need money to survive in today’s world, but we are no longer dominated by the need to make pursuing it our life’s work. It is only when it is no longer our god that we are able to prayerfully and freely release it for the work of the ministry… to allow God to lead us in our giving.

But casting aside the “magic of money” makes a much more important point. It is just one example of the things that hinder our growth in the Lord, our spiritual maturity. Allowing Jesus to rule in all areas of our life will allow the Holy Spirit to expose attitudes and values that are contrary to the Gospel. Preaching and teaching in the power of the name of Jesus, like Paul, will produce results in the lives of those who are lost. They will be changed and then they will be open to the message of a life in Christ… a message they will share.

Ever wondered about this verse…

Acts 19:10 And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.

In two years Paul could never have reached the entire province of Asia, even if he walked its entire length and breadth, talking to everyone he met. No, he preached daily in Ephesus, and those he won to Christ multiplied his ministry. They did the rest. And that is why it’s critical for the bride of Christ to preach, teach, and disciple the Gospel. We need to do that by letting God do what He wants to do through us to set people free from the “magic” that is controlling their lives… even if He wants to use our handkerchief.