Several events in the Bible describe miraculous events which draw people’s attention and involvement while provoking the amazement and wonder side of fear. 

Acts 19.11-20 contains the semi-comedy of the sons of Sceva trying to harness the power of the Holy Spirit for casting out a demon.  They had seen Paul do it and figured they knew the formula. When the sons command, “We adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims,” you expect the man with the demon to say, “What do you mean, ADJURE?” Nobody uses that anymore.”   

The recorded response of the demon is more subtle comedy and quite logical – “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” And then the scene turns to slapstick as the demon-guy beats the crap out of the brothers, tears off their clothes, and throws them fleeing from the house, naked and bleeding.

The result in Ephesus is instructive: “And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled.”   It was scary to know that one man could overpower seven; it brought fear when they realized the power that Paul had access to for healing and miracles needed to be used wisely. The chapter goes on to say that many believers and non-believers gave up their magic arts practices and burned their sorcery books.

As with the entire book of Acts, “So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.”