There is a lot of content within this section of Scripture and I am undoubtedly equipped to comment on its entirety while holding to any sort of brevity, so today I’ll simply call our attention to the way the Spirit moves throughout this passage:

1-7: The Spirit Comes

These people knew who Jesus was, they knew about his life, death, and resurrection, but they did not know about the Spirit coming and the impact is should have on our lives as Christians

8-10: The Spirit Inspires Truth

Here we see that Paul “reasons & persuades” people regarding the kingdom of God. The Good News, the Scriptures, and the Kingdom of God are not illogical and they do not contradict science and history. Study, and allow the Spirit to work through you boldly in your proclamation

11-15: The Power of the Spirit

In these verses we see the power of the Spirit, and that it is reserved for those who believe.

16-20: The Spirit Moves

Regardless of how the world responds, twists, or uses the Gospel, the Good News is spread and more people come to know Jesus.

[Acts 19.1-20]

19.1 And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. 2 And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John's baptism.” 4 And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. 7 There were about twelve men in all.

8 And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. 9 But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus. 10 This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.

The Sons of Sceva

11 And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them. 13 Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.” 14 Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. 15 But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” 16 And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 17 And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled. 18 Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. 19 And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.

[ WHAT ] is this passage saying and what is a key truth or thought that we learn?

+ What did the disciples of Ephesus believe?

+ What changed when they received the Spirit?

+ What were they able to do once they received the Spirit?

+ What does Paul use to share the Gospel in vv. 8-11?

[ HOW ] is the Lord calling me to action/obedience?

+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?

+ How is the Spirit moving in you?

+ How are you using the power of the Spirit? Or are you neglecting it?

+ How are you sharing, persuading, and reasoning with people to believe the Gospel

[ WHO ] am I walking with and praying for to discover Jesus?

+ What is my next step?

+ Am I someone who the devil and the demons know? Are they afraid of the Spirit in me?

+ Who can I confess this sin to?

+ Who am I walking with that I can share the Good News of Jesus with