Penitence and the Prevailing Word

Handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched Paul's body were being carried away to the sick and diseases were being healed and evil spirits cast out; truly God's hand was working mightily through Paul. When Jewish exorcists decided to become rivals to Paul's ministry and cast out demons in the name of the Jesus whom Paul preached, the worldview of manipulating nature through magic was exposed as fraudulent. The contrast between divine miraculous power and the feeble power of magicians was put on full public display and caused the fear of God to fall upon the city of Ephesus. As a result, the people of God repented of their sin of continuing to practice magic and burned their books publicly. Penitence on behalf of the people of God led to the prevailing of the word. This message explores the necessary and essential spiritual conditions for the explosive growth of the word of God.