Oct 30, 2026 The Prevailing Word of The Lord – Words of Grace Blog – October 30, 2026
Someone once described a board meeting in which an issue was being discussed. At one point in the discussion, a man who had not previously spoken did speak. In just a few sentences, he laid out the direction ahead, and the issue was settled. That man’s word prevailed.
I do not expect that sort of thing to happen in the meetings I attend. The all-wise person whose word is always apt for the situation is more myth than reality. And we are all humans in the meetings I attend.
But while the board meeting illustration may be a bit embellished, it does remind me of one whose word prevails with both power and grace.
Acts 19 includes several vignettes of spiritual struggle and conflict in the city of Ephesus. Some men are stuck in the prophetic ministry of John the Baptist and need to be brought into the new life of the Lamb of God John proclaimed. Some stubborn-hearted people reject the gospel in the synagogue, so Paul moves to the lecture hall of a famous philosophy teacher and continues to teach for two years. A group of exorcists tries to use the name of Jesus to advance their own reputations. People who came to faith in Christ burn their books on magic to show the fruit of their repentance. And a riot breaks out over the hit the economy took when so many new Christians stopped buying the idols and trinkets used for pagan worship.
These situations are often called power encounters, and rightly so. But in the middle of this chapter, Luke says that the word of the Lord prevailed mightily (Acts 19:20). The power to bring men into Christ, enlighten philosophers about the Way of God, silence spiritual charlatans, and convert occultists and idol worshipers is the word of the Lord.
In Acts 19, the word of the Lord prevails by triumphing and transforming. Behind every spiritual struggle is the work of the rulers, authorities, powers, and forces of darkness (Ephesians 6:12), but Spirit-empowered preaching of the gospel overcomes these forces. They release their power over the people.
People who hear the gospel and believe experience God’s grace, which brings repentance and real change to their hearts. They think, desire, and decide differently because they have learned Christ and now see that the truth is in him (Ephesians 4:20-21).
The prevailing power of God to triumph over sin and evil and to transform sinners to become like Christ is his living and active word.
Acts 19 moves me to pray. As I am writing this, I am in prayer. Join me. Let’s pray for a revival of reading, preaching, teaching, and discussing the word of God in the power of the Spirit in the congregations in our city. Pray with me that the message of Christ will reveal its power over the darkness of our city and the sin of our hearts and bring repentance and its fruit. There will be pushback from dark forces to the ministry of the word, but let’s not lose heart knowing that the word that goes out from the mouth of the Lord will accomplish its purpose and succeed.
In all the chatter and noise of the world, the word of one prevails. Let’s listen to him.
I look forward to seeing you Sunday,
-Scott