Where God is at work, we can be sure that the Devil is not far behind. To join God in His mission is to oppose the powers of darkness. Because of Christ’s victory, we can wage this spiritual war with confidence; but confidence is no excuse for irreverence. In Ephesus, God was working miracles through Paul, and the news was spreading. Some Jewish leaders wanted to get in on the action, but instead of following Jesus, they tried to use Jesus’ name like a magic spell. They wanted the power of Jesus’ name without submitting to His power in their life.

By misusing Jesus’ name, they were taking His name in vain. This, of course, resulted in an embarrassing defeat, which exposed their fraudulent imitations of Paul. But their exposure brought about a renewed reverence – “the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high esteem” (v. 17). In His name, there is power to free us from the grip of sin and the bondage of the Evil One. There is grace to cover shame and renew our hearts. So, honor His name and live in His power, knowing that He has won.

• What area of your life still needs to come under the power of Jesus?