Acts 19:20 “So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed. (KJV)”
That verse is a phrase we don’t hear often any longer. There is two important thoughts in this verse that we need to ask ourselves where we are going wrong.
The first is “…mightily grew the word of God…” Two other times this phrase appears in the book of Acts. Once was in Acts 12:24 where we are introduced to Apollos, who we read about in 1 Corinthians. Paul addresses him as a worker for the Lord. In Acts 12 we see him fervently preaching the Gospel, then being instructed further, preached with greater power, and went to Jerusalem to be introduced to the disciples. The second time we see this phrase is in Acts 6:7, when the disciples commissioned 7 to take care of the needs of the church. Then, we have this verse in Acts 19 when Paul was ministering in Ephesus. What does each of these accounts of this phrase have in common? People are doing the work that God had given them to do. Apollos was preaching the Gospel wherever he went. The disciples commissioned the 7 to take care of the needs of the church so that they could devote themselves to prayer and preaching. Paul worked mightily in Ephesus where the people responded to the message. What about us today? I firmly believe we are so preoccupied with things like social media, sports, finances, building our lives that we are letting the word of God go unproclaimed to fit our comfort zones.
In each of the three times that phrase appeared in Acts, we find people doing the will of God for their lives, as a result, the word grew mightily. What would happen in just a handful of us decided to put aside our modern day preoccupations and fully devote ourselves to fulfilling the call of God on our lives? I think the word would grow mightily in our nation and in our world. I caught a glimpse of an internet tv show the other day, and the guest was laying out how we can make Christianity the fastest growing religion in America. I want to go back and hear what he had to say on that topic, but unless it includes doing the will of God in our lives, it isn’t going to happen. We have to put God back on the throne of our lives, and not in the passenger seat.
The second phrase in Acts 19:20 that we need to address is, “…and prevailed.” The first thought most people have is “prevailed against what?” Simple, prevailed against the evil works of the devil. Don’t you think the devil tried to stop Apollos from preaching fervently? Don’t you think the devil tried to distract the disciples from prayer and preaching? Don’t you think the devil tried to hinder the work of Paul in his missionary journeys? Of course he did, and he is still trying to hinder the work of God today. But the difference is he is succeeding in his efforts today. The devil has so any people blinded to the fact they are not doing what God has called them to do. The devil has so many busy with things that God never intended for us to do. Do you think it’s just a coincidence that many kids and youth sports teams practice on Wednesday and Sundays? Church days?
If we want to see the word of God prevail today, then we must get back on track with God. As I said before, God needs to be put back on the throne of our lives and off the passenger seat. The word of God will ultimately prevail in our world, but woe unto us who neglect to proclaim that word to a lost world. Is the word growing and prevailing in your life? If not, you need to get things right with God.
