"The spirit of divination" by Rev. Marvin D. Mitchell (part 5)

Acts 16:16-22 "And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought  her masters much gain by soothsaying: The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying. These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the was of salvation> And this did she 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. And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rules. And brought them to the magistrates, saying. These men being Jews , do exceedingly trouble our city. And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe being Romans. And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them".

Lets us look briefly at this once more. First of all, notice with me the commitment of the disciples. I know that Paul and Silas were not of the original discipless, but we must admit that they were living in dicipleship to Jesus. They, as Luke, were committed to this Gospel of Jesus Christ. They were not casual  as some today, here  now, there later. Notice again what is stated in verse 16 "....As  we went to prayer..." not the ball game on Sunday, not the movie theater on Weddnsday , not a wordly, carnal  place on any day . I fully believe  that if they  had not been  on their way to the place  of prayer, they would not have overcome the choking  of the serpent. There is only one way  to prepare  for the serpent and that is to prepare  in prayer. You  will not survive  this hour of peril without prayer and total commitment.

J. Wilburn Chapman said he was holding a revival in England in a place where he had preached two years earlier. He said the Holy Spirit was moving and revival fires was burning, but when he returned , although the revival  had been announced for sometime, there was a notable change. He went on to say that the creowds were small, the fire was not burning as it had been ; there was a lukewarmness on the church. What had happened was the serpent had slithered into the congregation. Notice how this woman had slinked  right in amongst these men of God and was saying. "... These men are the servants of the most high God..." The python is bold, and he will come right  into your midst and choke the life out if we do not stand in Holy Ghost power as these apostles. Many are the times that people have approached me in the last few years and said they were hungry for an old-fashioned moving of the Holy Ghost . I declared it to be possible if we are willing to once againg be filled with the Spirit! We must shake off the serpent into the fire, as did Paul and seeGod move in such a way  that the barbarians recognise the reality of God even in this hour and then they may be turned to God.

Dr. Chapman said one day he was praying to the Lord for help in how to break the hold of the python, so to speak, and he said there was a knock on the door. When he went to the door there stood an american  man who introduced  himself as John Hyde (better known as praying John Hyde). He said that he had heard  a prayer request made for him and he had left America to come over and help him> Dr. Chapman said, "Good, I have been preaching and praying for weeks and I am exhausted . you can preach for me tonight." Praying Hyde said "No, I didn't  come to preasch or do anythingin the services: I have come to pray , I will not even  be attending the services; I have come to pray and fast all day long and God is going to send a revival." I know that this method is old, but thank God, not outdated.

Dr Chapman said he thought he would put the man to the test and invited him  in to pray with him. He said they knelt to pray and for five, ten, fifteen minutes he did not hear so much as a groan  from this man. Dr Chapman said it went through his mind , " Sure this man came to pray. He isn't saying anything." He arose to see if this man went to sleep. Then, about twenty minutes later, he said Mr Hyde  raised his face heavenward  and tears was running down his face, and this man begin to pray  like no one he had heard before . He said  the man prayed from mid-afternoon until time for him to go to church  and he left him praying. When he walked into the church the place was filled, and no other announcement had been made; no other efforts had been made  to draw them in. He preached  with liberty  like he had never had, and when he made the altar call fifty men and their families came and gave their hearts to the Lord . What was it? It was prayer that broke the stronghold of the python's hold.