What actions can we take to help God's word "prevail mightily" today? Setting the Scene: Acts 19:20 “So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail with power.” What Made the Word Prevail in Ephesus? • Persistent proclamation (Acts 19:8) • Evident spiritual power (Acts 19:11-12) • Repentance that left no room for compromise (Acts 19:18-19) • Opposition that highlighted God’s superiority (Acts 19:13-17) Actions We Can Take Today • Bold, Clear Proclamation – Share Scripture without trimming hard edges (2 Timothy 4:2). – Speak in everyday places—homes, workplaces, online—just as Paul moved from synagogue to public hall (Acts 19:9-10). • Visible, Consecrated Living – Let holy conduct authenticate the message (1 Peter 2:12). – Remove stumbling blocks: entertainment, habits, and speech that contradict the gospel (Ephesians 5:3-4). • Ruthless Repentance of Hidden Idols – Ephesians burned occult scrolls worth fifty thousand drachmas (Acts 19:19). Identify modern equivalents—pornography, materialism, political rancor—and discard them decisively (James 4:8). • Dependence on the Spirit’s Power – Miraculous impact flowed through Paul, not from him (Acts 19:11-12). Seek fresh filling (Ephesians 5:18). – Pray for boldness and for God to “stretch out His hand” (Acts 4:29-30). • Courageous Confrontation of Counterfeits – Seven sons of Sceva exposed the emptiness of spiritual shortcuts (Acts 19:13-17). – Lovingly refute teachings that distort Scripture (Titus 1:9; Jude 3). • Discipling the Few to Reach the Many – Paul reasoned daily in Tyrannus Hall; all Asia heard in two years (Acts 19:9-10). – Invest deeply in small groups who will multiply faith (2 Timothy 2:2). • Saturating Communities with Scripture – Place Bibles, share reading plans, use podcasts, social media, public events—whatever spreads the text (Psalm 147:15). – Encourage family worship and Scripture memory (Deuteronomy 6:6-7). • Unified, Loving Fellowship – Division muddies the message; unity showcases the gospel’s power (John 17:23; Philippians 2:2). – Resolve conflicts quickly and biblically (Matthew 18:15-17). • Sacrificial Service to the Needy – Good works silence critics and open doors for the Word (Titus 2:7-8; 1 Peter 2:15). – Meet practical needs—food, tutoring, crisis care—while pointing to Christ. Why These Actions Matter “When you received the word of God…you accepted it not as the word of men, but as the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.” (1 Thessalonians 2:13) When believers proclaim, live, and defend Scripture under the Spirit’s power, the same irresistible work that swept through Ephesus will cause the word of the Lord to prevail mightily in our generation. |
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