Making Disciples
Finding the Real Power when you are Powerless

Sunday November 11th, 2018 - Pastor Wungreiso Valui

Acts 19

"So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed." (v20)

INTRODUCTION

Paul came to Ephesus and encountered FLOATERS - floating followers of John The Baptist - who were drifting, ignorant and uninformed about the coming of Jesus. These disciples of John clung to him until his death, and were ignorant of Jesus and the amazing power of His resurrection. But when Paul baptized them in the name of Jesus and laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them. Receiving the Holy Spirit is supernatural and it has supernatural power to turn FLOATERS into FOLLOWERS of Jesus.

THE MAIN POINT

The Word Of The Lord Grew And Prevailed Through The Power Of The Holy Spirit

He said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" So they said to him, "We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit." (v2)

RECEIVING THE REAL POWER

FOLLOWERS of Jesus receive the real power through repentance and believing in Christ

And he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God. (v8)

REASONING WITH THE REAL POWER

FOLLOWERS of Jesus reason with the real power of the Holy Spirit

And this continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul. (vs10-11)

REVEALING THE REAL POWER

FOLLOWERS of Jesus are conduits to reveal the real power of the Holy Spirit

So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed. (v20)

RESPONDING TO THE REAL POWER

FOLLOWERS of Jesus, who would otherwise feel powerless in the face of overwhelming hostile forces, experience the real power

CONCLUSION

As a follower of Jesus, we might feel powerless - like David fighting against powerful Goliath. But we are not powerless. The gospel came with power in the Holy Spirit and with great conviction. We have the Holy Spirit, so that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves. Receive the Holy Spirit, the real power and the reason for the real power. Let the Holy Spirit reveal His power so people can respond to the mighty power of God.