“If you are an approval addict, your behavior is as easy to control as that of any other junkie. All a manipulator need do is a simple two-step process: Give you what you crave, and then threaten to take it away. Every drug dealer in the world plays this game.”
― Harriet B. Braiker
PSALM 17-18
ACTS 19:1-20The power of God is for the purpose of relationship not "witchcraft"...
13Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” 14Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” 16Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.17When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. 18Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed what they had done. 19A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.c 20In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.
JOURNAL
It is fascinating to read how the gospel and the power of God was becoming a sort of "sideshow". People began trying to use the power of God without relationship. This backfired and goes to show that God's power is first intended for relationship. Without relationship with God it becomes evil and will turn on those using it.
I think this also applies to those who would use God and the message of Christ for their own profit. To know God means that you love him and would never intend his message for selfish purposes. To do so would be blasphemous.
God's power enables his followers to love through persecution and suffering. To give even out of poverty. To love enemies. To stand up to doubt and betrayal. To forgive although it doesn't benefit. To be humble even when glorified.
I think this also applies to those who would use God and the message of Christ for their own profit. To know God means that you love him and would never intend his message for selfish purposes. To do so would be blasphemous.
God's power enables his followers to love through persecution and suffering. To give even out of poverty. To love enemies. To stand up to doubt and betrayal. To forgive although it doesn't benefit. To be humble even when glorified.
14But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. 15For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 16To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task? 17Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God.
~ 2 CORINTHIANS 2:14-17
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