98 | Can Anything Stop the Gospel? The Book of Acts (Bible Study and Devotional)

Find the full episode here >>> PaulaBehrens.com/blog

What happens when ordinary people are filled with extraordinary power? The book of Acts gives us the answer. This vibrant narrative takes us from a small upper room in Jerusalem to the far reaches of the Roman Empire, showing how the Holy Spirit transformed a handful of fearful disciples into unstoppable witnesses for Jesus Christ.

Acts begins with Jesus' promise of power through the Holy Spirit and maps out a mission that will spread from Jerusalem to "the ends of the earth." We witness the dramatic birth of the Church at Pentecost when the Spirit descends like fire, empowering believers to speak in languages they never learned and Peter to preach with such boldness that 3,000 people are baptized in a single day. This new community devotes itself to teaching, fellowship, breaking bread, and prayer—creating a radical alternative to the surrounding culture through their unity and generosity.

As opposition rises, so does the church's resolve. We follow the gospel's expansion through persecution, watching as Stephen's martyrdom scatters believers who plant the message wherever they go. The transformation of Saul from violent persecutor to passionate apostle Paul demonstrates that no one is beyond the reach of God's grace. Through Peter's vision and encounter with Cornelius, we see God demolishing barriers between Jews and Gentiles, declaring that the gospel is for everyone regardless of ethnicity or background. Throughout Paul's journeys, imprisonments, and trials, one truth remains constant: what appears to be defeat becomes the very means of advancing Christ's kingdom.

The story of Acts doesn't end with Paul in Rome—it continues through every generation of believers, including our own. The same Spirit that empowered those first Christians empowers us today. If you're feeling weary or disconnected from God's purpose, consider booking an Aroma of Christ Coaching Hour Plus Peace Reset at PaulaBerens.com/coaching to create space for the Holy Spirit to renew your heart and vision. Because the unstoppable story of Acts is still being written—through you.

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Episode Transcript

Paula Behrens (00:00):
Hey friend, have you ever wondered what it would
be like to walk in the footstepsof the very first Christians,
to sit in that upper room inJerusalem waiting on a promise
you don't fully understand, tofeel the sound of rushing wind
shake the walls and watchtongues of fire rest on your
friends' heads, to hearthousands respond in faith to
the name of Jesus and then toface the very real cost of

(00:22):
following him when the worldpushes back?
Well, the book of Acts is not atame story.
It's a living, breathing,spirit-filled adventure of how
God took a small, fragile groupof believers and turned them
into a global movement thatnothing could stop.
It's the story of the Church,yes, but even more it's the

(00:43):
story of the Holy Spiritempowering the people of God to
take the Good News of JesusChrist into every corner of the
earth.
Let's walk together through theentire book of Acts, not just
as spectators but asparticipants, because the story
didn't end with Paul in Rome.
It continues with us even today.
But first funny story.

(01:05):
When I first began my seminarywork while serving two church
congregations full-time,everyone assumed I had my daily
devotional time perfectlyorganized.
But, truth be told, there weremornings I could barely find
five minutes to catch my breath,let alone dive into deep
reflection.
One day, as I rushed out thedoor with mismatched shoes, I

(01:26):
realized that even in my chaosthere was a lesson.
Embracing God's grace andself-forgiveness, I realized
that true success in mydevotional life requires
prioritizing my spiritualpractices.
Are you finding it challengingto maintain your spiritual
practices or yearning for a morepeaceful, God-aligned day?
I'm Paula and I've been theretoo.

(01:48):
Balancing spiritual habits witha busy life can be difficult.
I longed for a deeperconnection with God, but
struggled with consistency.
Then I found the perfectapproach.
If you seek simple ways todeepen your connection with God,
this podcast is for you.
Please take a moment to followthe show, leave a review and

(02:08):
share with your friends who needa little biblical encouragement
today.
All right, it's time to getstarted.
Grab your Bible, dust off yourjournal and cozy up to your
favorite beverage and let's divein.
The book of Acts begins not withaction but with waiting.
After his Resurrection, Jesusspends 40 days teaching his
disciples about the kingdom ofGod.

(02:29):
He tells him not to leaveJerusalem until they receive the
gift the Father promised theHoly Spirit.
And then he speaks the wordsthat shape the entire book,
saying you will receive powerwhen the Holy Spirit comes on
you and you will be my witnessesin Jerusalem, in all Judea and

(02:51):
Samaria and to the ends of theearth.
In those words, Jesus lays outboth the mission and the map.
The gospel will spread outwardin ever-widening circles, from
the city, where it began, intothe surrounding region, then
across cultural and ethnicboundaries and finally to the
whole world.
The disciples ask if this isthe time Jesus will restore the
kingdom to Israel.
They are still thinkingpolitically, but Jesus points

(03:11):
them to something greater.
His kingdom is not aboutthrones and armies, but about
Spirit-filled witnessesproclaiming his Resurrection.
After blessing them, Jesusascends into Heaven.
The disciples are left gazingupward until two angels remind
him stop staring at the sky.
The mission is before you.
So they returned to Jerusalem,gather in the upper room and

(03:35):
pray constantly as they wait forthe promised Holy Spirit.
Are you in a season of waitingon God for direction or power?
What might it look like to fillthat waiting time not with
worry, but with prayer and unity, like the disciples did?
The waiting ends on Pentecost.
Jews from all over the worldare in Jerusalem for the

(03:56):
festival when suddenly a soundlike a mighty rushing wind fills
the house.
Tongues of fire rest on eachbeliever and they begin to speak
in other languages.
Imagine the chaos, the awe, theenergy of that moment.
People rush to hear and eachone is amazed because they hear
the wonders of God in their ownlanguages.

(04:17):
Some mock and say the disciplesmust be drunk.
But Peter, Peter who oncedenied Jesus stands up boldly.
He preaches from Joel andPsalms, declaring that Jesus is
both Lord and Messiah, crucifiedby men but raised up by God.
His words pierce hearts and3,000 people are baptized in a

(04:39):
single day.
This is the birth of the Church.
These new believers devotethemselves to the apostles'
teaching fellowship, breaking ofbread and prayer.
They share their possessions,worship together and see daily
miracles.
The Spirit has not onlyempowered preaching, but has
created a community marked byunity, generosity and joy.

(04:59):
Which of the four pillars ofthe early church: teaching,
fellowship, breaking bread andprayer needs fresh attention in
your life right now?
Not long after Peter and Johngo to the temple and meet a man
who has been lame from birth, inthe name of Jesus, they lift
him up and he walks for thefirst time in his life.

(05:19):
The crowd is astonished andPeter seizes the moment to
preach again.
Many believe and the religiousleaders are deeply disturbed.
They arrest Peter and John andcommand them to stop speaking in
the name of Jesus.
But Peter replies we cannothelp speaking about what we have
seen and heard.
Their boldness astonishes theleaders because these are

(05:43):
unschooled, ordinary men.
Yet that's the point ordinarypeople filled with the Spirit
are unstoppable.
Meanwhile, the church facesinternal challenges.
In chapter 5, Ananias andSapphira lie about their giving,
pretending to be more generousthan they are.
God judges them instantly,reminding everyone that holiness

(06:06):
matters.
The fear of the Lord grips theChurch, and yet the movement
continues to grow as signs andwonders multiply.
The apostles are arrested again, but an angel frees them from
prison and they continuepreaching in the temple.
Gamaliel, a respected teacher,advises the Sanhedrin to leave
them alone, saying if this planis of human origin, it will fail

(06:29):
, but if it is of God, you willnot be able to stop it and
indeed nothing can stop it.
Do you sometimes feel tooordinary to make a difference
for God?
How might Acts remind you thatordinary people, when filled
with the Holy Spirit, are thevery ones God delights to use?

(06:50):
As we see in Acts, the earlybelievers needed moments of
prayer, reflection andSpirit-led guidance to stay
strong and focused and, honestly, so do we today.
If you're feeling weighed downby past struggles or just
longing for a fresh encounterwith God to restore peace and
clarity, I'd love to invite youto a one-on-one Aroma of Christ

(07:11):
Coaching Hour plus Peace RESETwith me.
This session blends prayer,scripture and God-designed
aromas to help release emotionalburdens and create space for
the Spirit to refresh your heart.
If that speaks to you, you canbook your session anytime at
paulabehrens.
com/ coaching.
That's Paula BehrensB-E-H-R-E-N-S .

(07:33):
com/ coaching (no spaces).
It's a simple yet powerful wayto step back into God's purpose
for your life.
As the Church grows, so dopractical needs.
Greek-speaking widows are beingoverlooked in food distribution
.
To solve this, the apostlesappoint seven men full of faith
and the Spirit to serve.

(07:54):
Among them is Stephen.
Stephen performs great wonders,but opposition arises.
Accused of blasphemy, he'sdragged before the council.
In his defense, he preaches asweeping history of Israel.
Finally, he accuses them ofbetraying and murdering the
righteous One, Jesus.
Enraged, they drag him out andstone him.

As he dies, Stephen prays (08:15):
Lord , do not hold this sin against
them.
He becomes the first Christianmartyr, echoing the forgiveness
of Jesus himself.
Standing there approving of hisdeath is a young man named Saul
.
Stephen's courage reminds usthat following Christ can be
costly.
In what ways might God becalling you to boldness, even if

(08:39):
it risks misunderstanding orrejection?
Persecution intensifies andbelievers scatter from Jerusalem
into Judea and Samaria, butwherever they go, they preach
the word.
What was meant to crush theChurch actually spreads it.
Philip goes into Samaria, wherecrowds listen eagerly.
Many are baptized, including aman named Simon, the sorcerer,

(09:04):
who tries to buy the power ofthe Spirit with money.
Peter rebukes him, making itclear that the Spirit is not for
sale.
It is the gift of God.
Later, Philip is led by theSpirit to a desert road where he
encounters an Ethiopian eunuch,reading Isaiah 53.
Philip explains how theprophecy points to Jesus.
The man believes and isbaptized immediately.

(09:27):
The gospel leaps into modernday Africa through this one
encounter.
Meanwhile, Saul is stillbreeding threats against the
Church.
On the road to Damascus a lightblinds him and he hears the

voice of Jesus (09:39):
Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?
In that moment, the persecutorbecomes the pursued.
Ananias, a reluctant believer,lays hands on him and Saul
regains his sight and is filledwith the Holy Spirit.
He begins preaching that Jesusis the Son of God and the Church
is stunned.

(09:59):
The greatest enemy has becomeits greatest advocate.
Who in your life seems leastlikely to come to faith?
What would it look like to keeppraying for them, believing
that no one is beyond God'sreach?
In Acts 10, we meet Cornelius, aRoman centurion who fears God.
An angel tells him to send forPeter.

(10:20):
Meanwhile, Peter has a visionof a sheet with clean and
unclean animals, and God tellshim not to call unclean what God
has made clean.
When Peter arrives atCornelius' house, he realizes
the vision's meaning, the gospelis not just for Jews, but for
all people.
As he preaches, the Holy Spiritfalls on the Gentiles and they

(10:41):
speak in tongues.
The Church cannot deny that Godwelcomes the nations.
This is revolutionary.
The barriers of ethnicity,culture and ritual law are torn
down.
The good news of Jesus is foreveryone, but opposition
continues.
Herod arrests Peter and killsJames.

(11:03):
The Church prays fervently andan angel miraculously frees
Peter from prison.
Herod, who had sought glory forhimself, is then struck down.
Once again, God proves thatkings and rulers cannot stand in
the way of his purposes.
Are there invisible barriers,prejudices, assumptions, fears

(11:24):
that keep you from embracing thefull truth that the gospel is
for all people?
From that point forward, actsfollows Paul's journeys.
Sent out by the church atAntioch, Paul and Barnabas
travel through Cyprus and AsiaMinor.
They preach first in synagogues, then to Gentiles.
Some embrace the message, whileothers stir up persecution.

(11:47):
Yet the gospel spreads.
In Acts 16, Paul and Silas arebeaten and thrown into prison in
Philippi.
At midnight instead ofdespairing, they sing hymns.
Suddenly, an earthquake shakesthe prison.
The doors fly open and thechains fall off.
The jailer, trembling, askswhat must I do to be saved?
That night he and his wholehousehold believe and are

(12:09):
baptized.
Later, in Ephesus, the gospelspreads so powerfully that
people burn their sorceryscrolls worth thousands of
silver pieces.
But the new movement alsothreatens idol makers whose
livelihood depends on sellingstatues of Artemis.
A riot breaks out, filling thetheater with angry shouts.
Even in chaos, the gospelcannot be silenced.

(12:33):
Throughout his journeys, Paulfaces beatings, shipwrecks and
constant opposition.
Yet he plants churches, trainsleaders and writes letters that
shape Christian theology to thisday.
When Paul and Silas sang inprison, their worship shook the
foundations of their chains.
How might worship in yourdarkest place unlock freedom,

(12:54):
not just for you, but for thosewatching?
Back in Jerusalem, Paul isarrested.
Rather than silencing him, thechains become his platform.
He shares his testimony beforehostile crowds and before
Governor Felix and Festus, andeven before King Agrippa.
Again and again, Paul points tothe Resurrection of Jesus.

(13:15):
Agrippa famously says, do youthink that in such a short time
you can persuade me to be aChristian?
Paul replies, short time orlong, I pray to God that not
only you, but all who arelistening to me today may become
what I am, except for thesechains.
Paul sees every audience as anopportunity.

(13:36):
His mission is not hindered byhis circumstances.
It is advanced by them.
What circumstances in your lifefeel like change right now?
How might God use them as aplatform for your testimony?
Paul appeals to Caesar and issent to Rome.
On the voyage, a storm battersthe ship for two weeks.
Paul encourages everyone thatGod has promised their survival.

(13:59):
Eventually the ship runsaground, but all are spared.
On the island of Malta, Paul isbitten by a viper or a snake,
yet suffers no harm.
He heals many sick people thereand the islanders are
astonished.
Finally, Paul reaches Rome.
Though under house arrest, hewelcomes all who come to him,

(14:20):
proclaiming the Kingdom of Godand teaching about Jesus with
boldness.
The book ends there suddenly,without closure.
Luke leaves the story openbecause Acts is not finished.
The mission continues in everygeneration of believers.
You and I are part of thatstory.
The book of Acts is not justhistory, it's our heritage.

(14:41):
It shows us that prayer ignitesmission.
Persecution fuels growth.
The spirit empowers witness andthe gospel is for everyone.
It reminds us that God usesordinary people in extraordinary
ways.
Living on purpose in Christmeans stepping into the same
Spirit-filled mission.
It means seeing our homes,workplaces and communities as

(15:04):
mission fields.
It means expecting the Spiritto empower us in our weakness.
It means being bold enough totell our story and to point
others to Jesus, no matter thecost.
So, as we close, let me leaveyou with this question.
If the story of Acts is stillunfolding, how will your life
add to the testimony of God'sunstoppable kingdom?

(15:26):
And friend, if you've beenlistening today and feel like
your spirit is weary or you'vebeen longing for a reset so you
can step more fully into God'spurpose, I want to extend a
personal invitation.
I offer something called theAroma of Christ Coaching Hour
plus Peace RESET.
It's a gentle, spirit-ledprocess that blends prayer,
scripture and God-designedaromas to help release the

(15:48):
weight of past struggles andrestore your heart to peace.
Think of this as creating thespace in your own life for the
kind of renewal and empowermentwe've seen throughout Acts.
If you're ready to quiet thenoise, breathe deeply and allow
the Holy Spirit to bring youback to center, I'd love to walk
with you in this one-on-oneexperience.
You can book your session todayat paulabehrens.

(16:09):
com/ coaching.
That's Paula BehrensB-E-H-R-E-N-S .
com/ coaching (no spaces).
Because, just like thebelievers in Acts needed fresh
encounters with God to keepgoing, you and I need these
moments too, and this may beyour next step to saying yes to
God's ongoing story in your life.

(16:30):
Book your session now, whilethe Peace RESET is still on the
table.
Thank you for tuning in todayand remember, just like setting
biblical boundaries, it's okayto say no to things that don't
serve you well, like that thirdpiece of cake at the church
potluck.
If you were blessed by thisepisode, be sure to share it
with a friend and leave a reviewso that we can reach even more

(16:52):
women like you.
Check the show notes for allthe links.
Join us next time as wecontinue to discover how to live
on purpose in Christ.
Until then, keep leaning intohim and walking in his wisdom.
See you next time.