The Significance of Ephesus in Ancient Asia Minor
Ephesus was the greatest city in Asia Minor. But the official capital of Asia was Pergamos. A Roman historian called Ephesus the light of Asia. It has the greatest harbor in Asia Minor. The city of Ephesus was very important because of its high commercial viability and that was why it was called the market place of Asia. In addition, Ephesus was the center place for big games and many people came to Ephesus from different part of Asia for games. It was also a spiritual stronghold of the devil and the center for the worship of the goddess, Diana, whose temple was built in Ephesus. The statue of Diana, the goddess, was located in Ephesus and was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The sale of idols was a big business in Ephesus. In Diana’s temple, little gods were sold to idol worshippers.
Paul’s Ministry and Struggles in Ephesus
This is the city where Paul contended with the forces of darkness, preached the gospel, had converts and raised elders and overseers. This was the city he was headed when he made the famous declaration,
‘I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost. For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries’ (Corinthians 16:7-9).
The church in Ephesus was privileged to receive one of the letters to seven churches in Asia.
Paul remained in Ephesus despite attacks and persecution he encountered. Great door opened to him with many adversaries but he remained faithful to the end. This proves that it is not out of place to face adversity in your place of ministry. No matter what city, village, community or country you find yourself as a minister, get ready to contend with strongholds that control the environment. Running from place to place looking for easy life and ministry is an awkward idea. Bribing your godfathers or doing everything possible to be transferred to big church branches is not noble either.
If you are not doing the right thing, which is preaching of sound doctrine, the powers in a city may not trouble you. Financial and material prosperities without genuine salvation of your members or their names being written in the book of life cannot be called ministerial success. Every testimony without the testimony of salvation is as empty as nothing. Salvation of human souls is the pillar and foundation of Christianity. Every preaching, teaching and ministry that fails to produce true repentance of hearers is incomplete, mockery and falls short of the purpose of ministry. You can pray, preach, teach and conquer the god of mammon in any city. You can build the biggest cathedral, have the biggest congregation, and become the richest minister in the city or country. However, if the people are not genuinely repenting and turning to Christ in love; if demons are not completely dislodged in the heart, you have achieved nothing.
As a true minister of the gospel, do not be afraid of what people would say of your unadulterated preaching. Do not be concerned whether your message is adjudged unpopular and rejected. More so, do not fear whether co-ministers or your superiors would be hurt by the pureness of your message. In ministry, the only one to fear is God Himself, who rewards the works of men. And as Jesus puts it:
‘And fear not them, which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him, which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell’ (Mathew 10:28).
The Impact of Paul’s Ministry and Modern Reflections
Paul’s message reached to the very foundation where goddess Diana’s worship stood. Paul’s message scattered the bottom and the first layer of the evil throne, which was why the idol’s priests prevailed upon the people to revolt. Paul’s ministrations revealed the foolishness of idolatry, occultism, sin and manipulation. As a result, unbelieving gentiles and people that profited from the worship of Diana through trade revolted.
‘And the same time there arose no small stir about that way. For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen; Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth. Moreover, ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands: So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth’ (Acts 19:23-27).
Paul’s ministration even affected the tradition, theory and theology of the Jews. He said, ‘Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ’ (Colossians 2:8). The Jews and occult grandmasters also raised alarm against Paul. You should never be afraid to take on the strongmen and altars that take cities and people hostage.
As a minister or member of the body of Christ, if witches and wizards are comfortable with your ministry or church, then something is seriously wrong with your church or ministry. For wrong reasons, if fraudsters, gamblers, prostitutes and occult members are part of your ministerial team, or worst still, among your pastors, then your ministry is not yet in touch with the light of Christ and gospel.
If wicked sinners and occult people are the ones sponsoring your ministry and handling your church’s projects while true believers watch on, something is wrong. In your church, if the businesses of true children of God are dwindling while those of evil ones are prospering, your church must rise up now. If burial ceremonies, hospital cases, police and court cases outpace marriage ceremonies, child dedications, corporate business relationships, house warming, etc., your church needs to wake up from spiritual slumber. If you have so many prophets, prophetess, prayer warriors, and deliverance ministers and yet true deliverance are few, you need to start seeking for real power from Christ.
Examine your spiritual state, otherwise, you may be laboring for someone profiting from other people’s foolishness. In the city of Thyatira in Macedonia, Paul encountered a young and beautiful young girl possessed with a spirit of divination, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying (Acts 16:16). But when Paul rebuked and cast out the demon in the young girl, the hope of gains for her master was gone, the masters caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers (Acts 16:19). Therefore, the idea of using other people’s destiny in the form of spiritual ability for material gain is real. Many churches exist in which occult people use other people’s destiny to make much gain. We refer to them as destiny quenchers, destiny killers or soul traders.
Demetrius, an occult grandmaster and other workers of like occupation in Ephesus ganged up against Paul. They were in charge of altars that controlled lives and destinies of all the unbelievers in Ephesus and the whole Asia. Every sinner or unbeliever had an occult material representing such person in evil altars. Majority of unbelievers were not aware that their lives, destinies and marriages are caged in evil altars of Diana. Also, many believers who were born again but still had old things that had not pass away in their lives, were also ignorant that their destinies, marriages, health, business, etc., were in the altars of Diana. Though they were born-again but the things that supposed to make them happy were caged, confined and arrested in the altars of Diana. They were waiting for old things to pass away without prayers of deliverance, warfare and confrontation. Many of them could have died true children of God and made heaven without experiencing God’s plan of marriage, prosperity, divine health, etc., for them.
The people of Ephesus were utterly bewitched by goddess Diana. That was why when Paul and his team were accused falsely of degrading the worship of Diana in Ephesus and persuading people to turn away from idol worship, thereby putting idol craftsmen’s jobs in danger, the whole city erupted.
‘And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians. And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul’s companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre. And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not. And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theatre. Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together. And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defence unto the people. But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians’ (Acts 19:28-34).
‘And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration’ (Revelation 17:6).
‘Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new’ (2 Corinthians 5:17). It is a very sad thing for a Christian, who lives a holy and sanctified life, to sit by and wait for old things to pass away and they never did. While some Christians live their lives complaining, others backslide and die without experiencing the joy of being married, financial miracles, healing and true deliverance from all their problems. Others manage to hold on to the faith but never saw wicked old things such as ancestral bondage, generation barriers and limitations pass away. Many die as Christian martyrs and go to heaven, but the truth is that while on earth, they never enjoyed victorious living. The reason is that the principalities in-changer of their problems sat permanently on their blessings, destinies and all that God assigned to them on earth.