Are you tormented for your faith?

September 10, 2014

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living
 ©

Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so troubled that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her.
(Acts 16:16-18 (NIV))

Are you troubled by a nagging “spirit” that will not leave you alone? One that torments you day and night?

Paul was tormented by a slave girl who was possessed. The demon would not leave her alone, and, consequently, would not leave Paul alone. He recognized the work that God was using Paul to complete and he tried everything that he could to divert and distract Paul so that God’s purpose would not be completed.

We all face similar circumstances in our lives. There is something that will simply not leave us alone. Something that, if we let it, will distract us from God. Do not let anything distract you from earnestly seeking God! Do not let greed, ego, ambition, lust, power, envy, or anything else that the world has to offer stand between you and God. Paul continually walked away from this girl, but she followed him. Is sin following you like this slave girl followed Paul, tormenting you every step of the way?

Take a lesson from what Paul did. He called upon the name of Jesus to rebuke the tormentor. Paul’s faith was strong enough to rely on the name of Jesus to do what was promised!

Is yours?

Copyright 1998 – 2014 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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