This was Jesus’ statement to the disciples concerning those who will believe. The question, however, is how do you discern the presence and activities of devils or demons in people? especially because nothing they do in the physical may arouse suspicion. They could eat, play and joke without a single trace of a demonic spirit.
Our opening text tells of Apostle Paul’s encounter with a lady who had a Spirit of divination- one in which she used to bring her masters much gain by soothsaying.
Verse 16 had told us that Apostle Paul had gone to pray. It says ”And it came to pass, as we went to prayer,…” Verse 18 was the aftermath of his prayer.
When we pray, we discern certain information we might have missed or we become more aware and sensitive to certain presence and activities.
Hallelujah! When we pray, our discernment is sharpened. Via discernment, the faculty of ready speech is quickened in us to rebuke things and spirits that are not of God.