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03 Acts 08 09-25 THE CONVERSION OF SIMON THE MAGICIAN 01 Acts 08 09-11 The victory of Jesus
📖 Acts 08:09-25
01 – 27Dec2023 – *The victory of Jesus* - _Acts 08:09-25_ - THE DELIVERANCE OF SIMON THE MAGICIAN – _II Timothy 02:25-26_
_Acts 8:9-11 But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, (10) to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, "This man is the great power of God." (11) And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time._
When we sinned against God, we thought we were now in control over our lives but we became captives and victims of the devil. _Hebrews 2:14-15 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy *him who had the power of death, that is, the devil*, (15) and release those who through fear of death *were all their lifetime subject to bondage*._ The devil has kept us in his bondage of death. We are captives of the devil to do his will. This is our terrible predicament.
One of the activities of the devil is sorcery. When people give themselves into the hands of the devil, he uses them and performs various signs and miracles through them. The devil needs a medium to operate.
We can see one of the reasons why the Lord chose Israel to be blameless before Him. The nations of the world have given themselves to be under the control of the devil and he is using them powerfully. The people of the world exercise great power because the devil uses them for his agenda.
In calling Israel as a nation chosen for God, He was calling the people of Israel to be separated to Him and not be like the nations of the world. The nations of the world were/are given to sorcery.
_Deuteronomy 18:9-14 "When you come into the land which the LORD your God is giving you, *you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations*. (10) There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, (11) or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. (12) For all who do these things are an abomination to the LORD, and because of these abominations the LORD your God drives them out from before you. (13) *You shall be blameless before the LORD your God.* (14) For these nations which you will dispossess listened to soothsayers and diviners; but as for you, the LORD your God has not appointed such for you._
The agenda of the devil is to steal, kill and destroy all that is of God. From the Lord God, we have life in all its fullness. We have the Shalom of God and the devil is against God and His Shalom. _John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly._
This is the reason why we must recognise that our battle is not against people, for they are victims, who are being used by the devil. Our battle is against the spiritual forces of darkness and evil that are against God. _Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places._
The devil tempts us through our senses and our bodies, and when we repeatedly yield to temptation, he comes in and makes his residence in us. That person who is yielding repeatedly to the devil now comes fully under the control of the devil and the devil causes much harm to that person and through that person to the works of God.
We, as those who come under the lordship of Christ must be aware and conscious that we are in a battle zone. We are in an engagement against the devil, for we were once yielding to his temptations but now in Christ, we have come out of his bondage and we are now set free to obey God.
We are now under the possession of God. The Holy Spirit indwells us and we must constantly yield to the Holy Spirit. Not only are we living victorious lives over temptation but we are also engaging the enemy, knowing his evil agenda.
We can understand how angry the devil is against believers in Jesus. We were once in his clutches but we are now set free by Jesus. We are also working actively against the agenda of the devil, ensuring that he will not extend his kingdom. We are establishing and widening the kingdom rule of God here on earth in all spheres of life.
The devil will also harden the hearts of people not to surrender to Christ. This is the reason, we need to reach out to people. _II Timothy 2:25-26 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, (26) and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will._
```As we look at the deliverance of Simon the sorcerer, we are looking at how the Lord is giving his church a wonderful victory over the devil.```