REFUSE DISCOURAGEMENT
(God’s Spirit And Word Makes The Difference)
TO THE BIBLE: Acts 19:20 ESV
“So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.”
LET’S TALK
Imagine you get an invite to speak at a big conference. You go through all sorts of challenges to get there: maybe it’s a long road trip through rough terrain, or maybe
you brave the seas on a boat. Finally, you reach the city and are greeted by just twelve people! It’s not what you expected at all. But instead of getting discouraged, you see
an opportunity. You realise these twelve are your audience, and you can make a big impact right here. That’s exactly what happened to Paul in Ephesus.
He had heard reports about this city, but upon his arrival, he found only twelve disciples there, though he expected to meet more. Paul recognised the challenge before him and also knew the solution to the issue. We can tell from his question in Acts 19:2 and the answer the twelve disciples gave him: they hadn’t received the Holy Spirit.
Paul then explained to them the need to believe in Jesus Christ. Upon hearing this, they were baptised in the Name of the Lord Jesus. Afterwards, he laid his hands on
them to receive the Holy Spirit and they began to speak in tongues and prophesy. Paul knew that when they received the Holy Spirit, they’d go wild for the Gospel. Paul didn’t stop there. Learning that they had been baptised only with John’s baptism gave him clarity about their situation. He decided to do a three-month step-by-step teaching of the Word (Acts 19:8).
Paul refused to be discouraged even though his audience was relatively small. He worked with the twelve men, ministered to them, and embarked on an evangelistic endeavour in the city, reaching out to both Jews and Gentiles. The result? All of
Ephesus was impacted with the Word of God (Acts 19:20)! That’s the power of the Holy Spirit and His Word! If you’ve received the Holy Spirit, go wild for the Gospel! The power of God is at work in you to preach the Word and minister life to your hearers.
Go Deeper
Acts 19:8-12; Acts 20:32; Zechariah 4:6
Pray
Dear Father, I thank you for the power of your Word and the ministry of the Spirit in the lives of men. I’m committed to preaching the Gospel, taking your Word to the ends of the earth, teaching all nations the way of righteousness, and imparting them with the Spirit, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
ONE YEAR
John 8:12-30, 1 Kings 20-21
TWO YEAR
Mark 10:46-52, Numbers 20
Daily Bible Reading
Act
Right from where you are, reach out to your world today with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Refuse to be discouraged by any detractor or unforeseen circumstance.
My Notes
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