Throughout the ages God's Word has grown and prevailed. Dr. Roy M. Gray shares his perspective through his commentary on the scripture Acts 19:20. As we discuss the way that God's Word prevails today we realize that the same power that changed ancient Ephesus from an idolatrous city to a distribution center for the Gospel to the whole of Asia, is still at work in our churches today.So Mightily the Word Grew and Prevailed
Apostle Aje Pelser

Preached at AFM Witfield; MBC Chapel; MBC Graduation Midarand; MBC Graduation Cape Town 2007; Harvester Reformational Church Cape Town.
November– December 2007

Act 19:20 So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.
Read Acts 19 for context.

From MBC Manual “Acts”, by Dr. Roy M. Gray…
“So', or, 'in this manner', looking back to the preceding incident, but attaching itself to the following words kata kratos, 'according to power', or 'in the way of power'. The gospel message 'grew' (imp, kept on growing), the nature, kind, or peculiarity of its growth (kata indicates this) being 'with power', mightily'. This first verb 'grew' has to do with the 'general extension of the gospel. The second to its influence on the conduct of those who embraced it (Hackett). The second word 'Prevailed' means, 'to be strong, or powerful', and is also an imperfect. The order of words in this verse emphasises the 'mightily' and also 'of God'. Thus: so mightily of God the word continued to grow and prevail. Note, it was the word that did the work. Let us lean more on this work, allow it to do its mighty work. Note also that the subject is 'word': the word grows and prevails 'so', in this way, as has just been shown in vv 8-19. First it came as the message of a kingdom (v 8), the 'kingdom of God'. The kingship of the Messiah is the Gospel message. As people bow to the will of God in Christ Jesus, miracles will take place. At this very juncture Paul sat writing to the Corinthians, across the Aegean to the west, 'The Kingdom of God is not in word, but power' (1Cor 4:20). Paul did not believe in merely preaching. He expected results. He came to Thessalonica 'in much assurance' that his gospel would work. It did. So we find the word 'grew and prevailed' through the mighty works of vv 11-12. But not only were there positive beneficial miracles, but also the defeat of the false by the same preaching. If our ministry is in power, it will expose and destroy the false. Our lives must be clean, to get these results. Finally, note the power manifested in vv 17-19. Our ministry must be powerful enough to shock the half-hearted, half-consecrated Christians.

The journey of the Word through the Bible to this moment in the book of Acts:
Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.
Joh 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Genesis 1:3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
Strong’s H559' âmar (aw-mar')
• to say
• answer,
• appoint, avouch, bid,
• boast self, call, certify,
• challenge, charge, command
• commune, consider,
• declare, demand, X desire, determine, X expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak
• (against, of), , talk, tell, term, think, use [speech], utter,

God’s Word has shaped our existence from the beginning. How we have to responded to His Word has determined the course of history.

The Patriarchs met the Word of the Lord in person as Abraham can testify:

The Forerunners Joseph and Moses, Joshua and the judges, the Prophets and Kings were tuned into the Word of the Lord for their generation.

Today we have the Word of God in written form because the “prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” 2 Peter 1:21

At the birth of Christ, Simeon and Anna, Zechariah and John all responded to the birth of Christ. Jesus became the Word made flesh and dwelt amongst us and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Jesus revealed that the Words he spoke were not by His own authority either:
Joh 12:48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.
Joh 12:49 For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.
Joh 12:50 And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.

His disciples acknowledged that His Words contained life:
Joh 6:68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
Joh 6:69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.

WAYS in which the WORD GROWS
There are various mighty ways of God, in which the Word can grow in our lives today and prevail:

• Through Reading the Word
• Expositional Preaching – opening up the Word, breaking the seals
• Testimony – allowing the Word to become flesh in our lives
• Publishing the Word – internet, books, letters, emails, CD’s MP3s and sermons on iPod, making posters of inspirational memory verses.
• Practise of God’s Presence
• Make seeking Christ the most pre-eminent thing in our lives
• Giving the Word prominence in our family time
• Honouring and quoting the Word in our work environment
• Drawing wisdom from God’s Word in trying situations
• Depending on the incorruptible seed of God’s Word to produce fruit in our times of peace and in times of crisis
• Training people to hear from God with an open Bible
• Acting out the Word of God for today
• Fulfilling prophecy
• Making apostolic declarations of God’s Will in our lives, families, communities
• Singing songs that help us memorize and understand God’s Word
• Making movies about God’s Faith Heroes that depended on His Word
• Writing plays about God’s intervention in our lives
• Designing clothes that help us dance like David in the Word
• Establishing businesses that create wealth to establish God’s Covenant of His Word from generation to generation
• Giving tithes and offerings to sustain accurate preaching of the Wod from local pulpits
• Building Churches according to the blueprint of Christ in His Word of the New Covenant
• Building Television Studios that can broadcast the Word to all corners of the earth, releasing present revealed Truth of His Word to our generation

The consistency of Apostle Paul’s preaching and teaching in Ephesus created a presence of God’s Word, as people who heard went and told others, but also as God confirmed the Word with signs and wonders following.

Notes on Ephesus from International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia:

Thanks to Neil & Emmie Palmer for the photos of ancient Ephesian ruins; taken on holiday in present day Turkey.

Ephesus
ef´ē̇-sus (Ἔφεσος, Éphesos, “desirable”): A city of the Roman province of Asia, near the mouth of the Cayster river, 3 miles from the western coast of Asia Minor, and opposite the island of Samos. With an artificial harbor accessible to the largest ships, and rivaling the harbor at Miletus, standing at the entrance of th