Sunday Words of Encouragement August 27, 2023 - Spirit of Python

Our Sunday School teacher shared special memories today. His family was closely involved in a church in a neighboring county that was burned down by arson this week. The old building was not actively in use, but it held years of family stories since being built in 1949. It was the first church our teacher attended – from his birth through his own marriage and births of his children.
The memories were beautiful and poignant. We all recognize that the building itself is not the church which is the body of believers. On the other hand, even God gave the tabernacle as a center for the body to gather together for worship, praise, fellowship, and teaching. The loss of the building hits many with grieve as in a death.

Our pastor’s sermon this morning was from Acts 16:16-18 titled Spirit of Divination” or “Spirit of Python."
A few weeks ago Pastor spoke on the Spirit of Jezebel – manipulative and deceptive spirit that seeks to tear apart relationships. Then two weeks ago he spoke on the Spirit of Absalom – a spirit of rebellion.
Luke spoke to the spirit of divination or python which guarded the stone representing the oracle of Delphi. It is like a ventriloquist voice speaking for dummy. In the passage of scripture, it is a young girl who serves as a fortune teller. A voice may change in a demon possession, but not always. But it is apparent in the way the voice speaks out – in reverse or derision.
This spirit is real especially in more pagan settings.

Mental illness can be demon possession but mental illness without demon possession is very real too. Evil spirits are an enemy, not the neighbor or mentally ill.

The believers are to have nothing to do with fortune tellers, which includes horoscopes and psychic readings which are forms of witchcraft according to scripture.
We must be careful to be led by the Holy Spirit, not other things.
The young girl was speaking truth, but it was not of God.

Be careful because Spirits will manifest where they are allowed control.
God is omnipresent and omnipotent. Demonic spirits are not.
A spirit may appear with similar characteristics. They masquerade and deceive.
They can be and will be scared away from things of God.

We believe in the supernatural and we know that our God is greater within us than the evil spirits that attack us. But we have to stay close to God. And sometimes, like Paul, who became ‘greatly annoyed’ in the scripture passage, the demon spirit has to be dealt with.

We need discernment. Is there peace which comes from the Spirit of God?
We have to stand firm in the Holy Spirit. We need to pray against demonic spirits and take authority over them in the relationships of our lives: home, family, work, and community.
Worship and prayer to allow Kingdom of God to advance and push back the enemy.
We are the people of God and we can pray and invoke God’s power, through Christ, to cast out demons. The scripture says the spirit left her "that hour" which can be interpreted as ’that moment’.

The same supernatural God of the Bible works today. When the believer accepts Christ as savior, they need to surrender, yield, to allow their behavior to go through life changing transformation.

I like this song for today’s message: Don’t Tread on Me.

Verses for Today:
Acts 16:16-18 NIV
16 Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17 She 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.” 18 She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed 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.


Lord, I invoke Your power to protect my family members and remove any evil and deceptive spirits from their circumstances.