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Published: Dec. 10, 2021, 6:15 a.m.

THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST IS A GOSPEL OF AUTHORITY, POWER, AND DOMINION OVER EVERY DEMONIC INFLUENCE. WORKING IN THE INSTRUCTION AND DIRECTION OF THE SPIRIT ALLOWS US TO EFFECTIVELY RESPOND TO THE WHATEVER FORM OF CHALLENGE WE MAY BE FACED WITH.  PAUL AND THE REST OF HIS COMPANIONS FACE A CHALLENGE OF A SLAVE GIRL POSSESSED WITH A FAMILIAR SPIRIT.

ACT 16:

16 ONE DAY AS WE WERE GOING TO THE PLACE OF PRAYER, WE WERE MET BY A SLAVE GIRL WITH A SPIRIT OF DIVINATION, WHO EARNED A LARGE INCOME FOR HER MASTERS BY FORTUNE-TELLING.

17 THIS GIRL FOLLOWED PAUL AND THE REST OF US, SHOUTING, “THESE MEN ARE SERVANTS OF THE MOST HIGH GOD, WHO ARE PROCLAIMING TO YOU THE WAY OF SALVATION!”

18 CONTINUED THIS FOR MANY DAYS. EVENTUALLY, PAUL GREW SO AGGRAVATED THAT HE TURNED AND SAID TO THE SPIRIT, “IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST I COMMAND YOU TO COME OUT OF HER!” AND THE SPIRIT LEFT HER AT THAT VERY MOMENT.

THE DAYS WERE LEAVING ARE NOT DIFFERENT FROM THE DAYS PAUL AND SILAS FOUND THEMSELVES. A DAY WHERE A DAMSEL, POWERED BY A PYTHON SPIRIT WHO USES DIVINATION TO TELL PEOPLE'S FUTURE, WAS CONFRONTED BY A HIGHER SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY CREDITED TO GODLY MEN WHO WALKED IN THE FULL MEASURE OF WHAT IS KNOWN AS AN APOSTOLIC SPIRIT. 

 THE APOSTOLIC SPIRIT IS THE HIGHEST SPIRITUAL WISDOM AND AUTHORITY AT THE DISPOSAL OF THE CHURCH IN DEALING WITH ANY FORM OF CONTRARY SPIRIT STANDING AGAINST THE PURPOSES AND ADVANCEMENT OF THE SAINT. THE APOSTOLIC SPIRIT IS A MANIFESTATION OF THE FRUIT OF THE TREE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TREE OF LIFE.   

WE ARE TOLD THAT THIS SLAVE-POSSESSED GIRL WAS SPEAKING AND DECLARING THINGS THAT WERE THE PRECISE INTENTION OF PAUL AND HIS COMPANION, BUT OF COURSE, HER SOURCE OF KNOWLEDGE WAS FROM A CONTRARY SPIRIT.

 THIS STRANGE EXPERIENCE IMMEDIATELY POSES THE QUESTION CAN PEOPLE KNOW THINGS WITHOUT CONSULTING THE SPIRIT OF KNOWLEDGE OF GOD? THE ANSWER IS ABSOLUTELY YES. ONE OF THE THINGS WE ARE GOING TO EXAMINE IN THIS MATERIAL IS HOW THIS KIND OF KNOWLEDGE OPERATES, SO WE ARE NOT DECEIVED BY THE ENEMY. 

SOME PEOPLE ARE IGNORANTLY DENYING THE EXISTENCE AND OPERATION OF SUCH A SPIRIT. HOWEVER, THE SCRIPTURE SPEAKS CONTRARY TO THIS RELIGIOUS NAIVENESS. THERE IS A RESIDUE OF AUTHORITY WITHIN THE HUMAN SOUL THAT HAS BEEN IN USE SINCE THE TIME MAN FELL, AND HUMANS LIVE THROUGH THE POWER AND INFLUENCE OF THIS FALLEN, REBELLIOUS NATURE. 

THIS FALLEN NATURE WHICH I REFER TO AS THE SOUL KNOWLEDGE BASICALLY DEFINES MANY OF THE THINGS WE SEE AND UNDERSTAND AS HUMAN KNOWLEDGE, WISDOM, AND UNDERSTANDING.

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