This she did many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the Name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour. Acts 16:18
One of the most popular of the fairy tales we used to read when we were kids was called Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. You remember the story, how a lad named Ali Baba was given a magical phrase – Open Sesame – that allowed him to open a secret door into a cave filled with fabulous treasures. Just by reciting the words, the door opened. It is a common theme that is still used today, to use a specific word or set of words, to pretend to perform magical tricks. Magician entertainers often recite such a magical expression as they prepare to pull off one of their sleight-of-hand tricks. Some people think that Paul invoked something of the sort when he cast the evil spirit out of the divination woman in Philippi. Invoking the Name of Jesus Christ, they say, was all that it took to perform the miracle. But the Name of the Lord Jesus is vastly more precious than to be assigned such a profane role.
First of all, Paul was not performing parlour tricks. As our text relates, he was grieved, or very concerned, about the condition of the woman who was following the missionary team. He knew that she was enslaved by the demon that was within her, and truly felt sorry for her. A number of days passed during which she kept up her stalking of the missionaries, during which Paul became more and more concerned about her. He did not rush into challenging the demon, but waited until he felt convicted of the Lord to do so. And when he called on the demon in the Name of Jesus Christ to come out of the woman, he was not chanting a powerful recitation. No, he was calling on His Lord to drive out the demon, on the power of God to be displayed over the power of the evil spirit. He was invoking the Name of Jesus Christ carefully, prayerfully, and after much consideration. Can you and I today invoke the Name of Jesus Christ in cases where we see a great need or feel a great burden? Of course we can, but we must do so as carefully and prayerfully as Paul would have done.
In terms of earthly matters, there are names in our world that carry great weight. For example, the name of the president of the United States is very influential because of the great military and economic power of that nation. And the names of such people as the pope of Rome and the Dalai Lama carry great weight in religious circles because of the influence of their organizations. The word of the Queen carries great weight among her subjects throughout the British Commonwealth. But all these great people come and go, and the influence of their names rises and falls with them. But there is no name in all this world with the power, the authority, and the eternal influence as the name of Jesus Christ. There is also no name that is so precious to the ear of His Father in Heaven.
Do we call on the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ today? Let us do so with deepest reverence, with greatest care, and with full acknowledgment of His deity and power. -Jim MacIntosh