Acts 19 8 Then Paul went to the synagogue and preached boldly for the next three months, arguing persuasively about the Kingdom of God. 9 But some became stubborn, rejecting his message and publicly speaking against the Way. So Paul left the synagogue and took the believers with him. Then he held daily discussions at the lecture hall of Tyrannus. 10 This went on for the next two years, so that people throughout the province of Asia—both Jews and Greeks—heard the word of the Lord.
There were different waves of the Holy Spirit in the book acts, there was the wave that gave birth to the church in Jerusalem, there was the wave of Antioch that broke barriers within the early church, then there was the wave of Ephesus that set the church up for the future God was calling them to.
The first wave in Jerusalem established the principles, values and culture that would be necessary in the foundational stages of the church to make sure that there would be a ministry that was able to handle the trying seasons of the future so that the church could handle the test of time.
The second wave of breakthrough, broke the barriers necessary to assure that the gospel message would not be limited to just one group of people or to one section of the world, but with the foundation of the first breakthrough and with the diversity of the second breakthrough the church was now positioned to fulfill its greatest mission of reaching out to the utter most parts of the world.
The third wave of breakthrough that took place in Ephesus, Ephesus became significant in that it was not only a breakthrough that was relevant for the immediate time, but became a breakthrough that took the lead of Christianity as a whole for the next 200 years.
Similar to the waves of breakthrough in the book of acts are the waves of breakthrough that have been taking place in the ministry of Victory Outreach International.
In partnership with the Holy Spirit the first generation laid the foundation of the vision by establishing the principles, values and culture and together with the willingness to sacrifice everything they had. This has allowed us the assurance that we belong to a ministry that has been able to stand the test of time!
The Second wave assured us that we would not be limited to just drug addicts, gang members and their families, but there was a generation that was growing up within our churches that was never on drugs, never locked up in a prison but was able to say, that no matter what back ground I come from I will still commit myself to this mandate from heaven of reaching the hurting people of the world.
(Testimony of Sonny Jr and the GANG)
And now this third wave that is taking their place within the movement of victory outreach International is allowing us to not only stay relevant with the time of today but is positioning us with concept and strategy that will make sure we stay on the cutting edge of Christianity until Jesus comes to take us home.
I want to take a look at a few things surrounding the wave of breakthrough that took place in Ephesus.
- Timing of the breakthrough
The first thing that is very significant when it comes to the breakthrough that took place in Ephesus is the timing of the breakthrough.
God’s timing of things is always perfect.
“God owns everything except a watch, but even though He doesn’t own a watch He is never late”
The first time that Paul and his team tried to go into Asia Minor, which was the region that Ephesus was located in, he was not allowed by the Holy Spirit.
It was not time.
Acts 16:6 Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time.
This first attempt to go into Ephesus was during his 2nd missionary Journey, The actual breakthrough that took place in Ephesus was 3 Chapters later in Acts 19 on his third missionary Journey.
So the question we ask is why the delay?
Many Commentaries say the breakthrough that Paul was going to experience in Ephesus was going to be the greatest breakthrough recorded in all of his missionary assignments.
And because of the magnitude of what God wanted to do, he needed to take some extra time not just getting Ephesus ready, but more importantly getting Paul ready.
Great theologian Tyron Edwards says, “Never think that God’s delays are God’s denials”
The first time Paul tried to go into Asia Minor or Ephesus, God delayed him, because God needed to grow him, grow his capacity and grow his mentality to be able to handle the magnitude of what God was about to do.
Like Tim Storey said, “your set back has prepared you for a comeback”.
II. The breakthrough was Spiritual before natural
The second thing that is important for us to understand is that although we are in the timing of God, there is still a spiritual battle and a spiritual stance that needs to continually take place.
When Paul came into Ephesus, the first thing that he noticed was that there were disciples that were there but something was missing in their lives.
Acts 19:1 While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions until he reached Ephesus, on the coast, where he found several believers. 2 “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” he asked them. “No,” they replied, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 “Then what baptism did you experience?” he asked. And they replied, “The baptism of John.” 4 Paul said, “John’s baptism called for repentance from sin. But John himself told the people to believe in the one who would come later, meaning Jesus.” 5 As soon as they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied.
The believers that were in Ephesus were still walking in a yesterday type of breakthrough, and Paul knew that what God wanted to do in Ephesus could not be done through disciples that were walking in a yesterday type of breakthrough.
John’s baptism was an entry point type of experience, but for what God wanted to do through these disciples needed the fullness of what Jesus had promised. The baptism of the Holy Spirit.
And we too if we want everything God has for us in this season, we need a fresh baptism in the Holy Spirit.
Luke 5 Jesus Said “no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. 38 No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins.”
Baptizmo – It is a recipe for making pickles, Nacandor said in order to make pickles the vegetable should first be dipped into boiling water multiple times and then baptized into the vinegar solution, the act of baptizing the vegetable produces a change that can never be reversed back to the old condition. THE PICKLE COULD NEVER BE A CUCUMBER AGAIN.
There were 2 types of people in Ephesus when it came to the breakthrough that was taking place.
- Magicians and sorcerers that wanted to be all the way in
Acts 19:18 Many who became believers confessed their sinful practices. 19 A number of them who had been practicing sorcery brought their incantation books and burned them at a public bonfire. The value of the books was several million dollars.
This group was all the way in and they were not going to let anything get in the way of them being apart of what God was doing in their lives.
- 7 sons of Sceva wanted the same results but still live in the old spirit
Acts 1913 A group of Jews was traveling from town to town casting out evil spirits. They tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus in their incantation, saying, “I command you in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, to come out!” 14 Seven sons of Sceva, a leading priest, were doing this. 15 But one time when they tried it, the evil spirit replied, “I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?” 16 Then the man with the evil spirit leaped on them, overpowered them, and attacked them with such violence that they fled from the house, naked and battered.
Some will say all the right things, but walk in the old spirit never to get the results God has for them.
Some will walk in title, charisma & gifting never to experience the same results.
All of us need to be willing to walk away from anything that will hinder the breakthrough that God wants to bring regardless of how much it may cost us.
The magicians gave up millions of dollars to walk in the breakthrough that God was bringing to their land.
III. Taking ownership of the breakthrough
The next thing we see is that although the breakthrough came to Ephesus through the life of the Apostle Paul it would be carried into the rest of the world through the Ephesian people.
Acts 19:9 But some became stubborn, rejecting his message and publicly speaking against the Way. So Paul left the synagogue and took the believers with him. Then he held daily discussions at the lecture hall of Tyrannus. 10 This went on for the next two years, so that people throughout the province of Asia—both Jews and Greeks—heard the word of the Lord.
Tyrannus had a school that Paul for 2 years was able to come into and impart the mission and vision into the Ephesian people.
In return the people of Ephesus took the mission and vision into the surrounding nations.
Peter Wagner says n his commentary on the book of Acts that Ephesus became the center of Christianity for the next 200 years.
IV. Protecting the future of the breakthrough
The last thing that is important for us to look at is that the Leadership of Ephesus needed to be the ones that would protect the breakthrough that was taking place so that it would continue into the future generations.
Acts 2016 Paul had decided to sail on past Ephesus, for he didn’t want to spend any more time in the province of Asia. He was hurrying to get to Jerusalem, if possible, in time for the Festival of Pentecost. 17 But when we landed at Miletus, he sent a message to the elders of the church at Ephesus, asking them to come and meet him.
Paul on his way to Jerusalem knew he would never return to Ephesus again summoned the leadership and gave them final instructions of how they needed to take complete responsibility and protect the revival that was taking place.
Acts 20:28 “So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as leaders. 29 I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. 30 Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following. 31 Watch out! Remember the three years I was with you—my constant watch and care over you night and day, and my many tears for you.
You and I have been given the great privilege to partner with our founders and the elders to carry out this great vision, and now it our responsibility to guard and protect the revival that God has brought to our nations!
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