This morning I started reading from Acts 19:
(NIV)Acts 19:10-12
This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord. [11] God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, [12] so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.
(NIV)Acts 19:13-18
Some 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.” [14] Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. [15] One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” [16] Then 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. [17] When 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. [18] Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed what they had done.
As I read this, I am reminded of how important it is to have an open heart to signs and wonders as well as the preached Word. Its the signs and wonders that prove authority and the reality of God's Kingdom, not good sounding arguments. If the arguments were enough, Paul would never had needed to have miracles and signs and wonders follow him, for he was one of the greatest scriptural exegists. What caused the Gospel to spread was signs and wonders, the clear demonstration of the power of God.
I am reminded of several verses where it was evident that the signs and wonders accompanied the preaching of the Word, and confirmed that what the apostles were saying was true.
(NIV)Mark 16:20
Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.
(NIV)Acts 14:3
So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders.
(NIV)2 Corinthians 12:12
I persevered in demonstrating among you the marks of a true apostle, including signs, wonders and miracles.
(NIV)1 Corinthians 2:1-5
And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. [2] For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. [3] I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. [4] My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, [5] so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power
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