Wed., 1/19/11 Devotion (Acts 19:15)

Today's encouragement comes from Acts 19:15, which says this:

"And the evil spirit answered and said, 'Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?' "

It is not a good sign when the demons "don't know" someone!  Perhaps as the redeemed are written in the Lamb's Book of Life, the evil spirits become privy to this information--we're not sure.  But this much is certain: the devil is concerned only to wreck havoc on souls--he cares not at all about anything else.  Those who are in Christ as His church are no longer within his gunshot range; but the devil does all he can to minimize their joy, and their effectiveness.

May we not wait to be assaulted by the evil one; but may God's church bring the battle to him.  The promise of Matt. 16:18 is a solid one.

[Puritan quote of the day: "God intermixes mercy with affliction.  He steeps His sword of justice in the oil of mercy.  There was no night so dark but Israel had a pillar of fire in it." --Thomas Watson, in, "The Godly Man's Picture"]