The Real Move of God
- fccreative
- May 27
- 9 min read
Embracing God's Power Through Surrender and Faith
Today is a day of hope and transformation, because God’s Word promises that the path of the righteous shines brighter and brighter. No matter what yesterday looked like, today can be better as we align ourselves with the living Word of God. The power of God is not a relic of the past, but a present reality for those who hunger for Him. We see in Acts 19 that Paul was so filled with God’s power that even handkerchiefs from his body brought healing and deliverance. This wasn’t because of Paul’s own strength, but because he was a vessel for the living God. In contrast, the sons of Sceva tried to use the name of Jesus without truly knowing Him or being rooted in His Word, and they were left powerless. This is a warning against dead, fake religion—a form of godliness without power.
There is a genuine move of God happening right now, not just in isolated places, but across the nation. People are hungry for something real, and God is responding to that hunger. But the real move of God doesn’t happen by accident; it is sought after. Just as the early church waited and contended in prayer for the Holy Spirit, we too must actively seek and press in for God’s presence and power. Waiting on the Lord is not passive; it is an active, expectant pursuit, like a servant ready to respond to the Master’s call.
The real move of God is marked by power—miracles, healings, and transformed lives. The early church didn’t just talk about God; they demonstrated His power. When Peter and John encountered the lame man, they didn’t offer empty words or mere comfort, but the power of Jesus that brought healing. The church must return to this kind of faith, where we expect God to move and are bold enough to act on His Word.
This move of God also breaks the status quo. Jesus challenged religious systems and traditions that hindered people from encountering God. He welcomed those whom society rejected, not to affirm their sin, but to call them to repentance and transformation. The church must be a place where anyone can encounter the real, life-changing power of God.
Finally, the real move of God requires us to be sold out—fully surrendered, not just in word but in lifestyle. It’s not about convenience or religious routine, but about loving God so much that obedience and pursuit of Him become our highest priority. When we give everything to Him, we become vessels through which His power and presence can flow, and we see the church become what it was always meant to be: alive, powerful, and transformative.
Key Takeaways
- The Power of God Flows Through Surrendered Vessels
True spiritual authority and power are not found in religious rituals or borrowed language, but in a life surrendered to God and rooted in His Word. Like Paul, when we allow God’s presence to fill us, His power can flow through us to others. The difference between the real and the counterfeit is not outward form, but inward reality—knowing Christ personally and living by His Word.
- A Real Move of God Is Sought, Not Accidental
Throughout Scripture and history, genuine moves of God have always been preceded by intentional seeking, prayer, and hunger. The early church waited and contended for the Holy Spirit, and revivals like Brownsville were birthed out of persistent prayer. God responds to those who actively pursue Him; passivity leads to spiritual stagnation, but active hunger draws His presence.
- The Church Must Return to Demonstrating God’s Power
The early church was marked by miracles, healings, and bold faith, not just words or traditions. When we reduce church to comfort or routine, we lose the expectation for God to move. God’s power is available today, and He desires to work through us to bring real change—healing the sick, setting captives free, and transforming lives.
- Breaking the Status Quo Means Prioritizing God’s Presence Over Tradition
Jesus confronted systems and traditions that hindered people from encountering God, insisting that God’s house be a place of prayer and transformation, not profit or exclusion. The Spirit of God must always take precedence over our structures, schedules, and preferences. When we hunger for God more than for comfort or control, we make room for Him to move in unexpected ways.
- The Real Move of God Requires Total Surrender and Commitment
Following Jesus is not about convenience or selective obedience, but about laying down our lives and desires for His will. The early church understood that loving God meant prioritizing Him above all else—gathering, praying, fasting, and living in obedience. If we want to see God move in power, we must be willing to give Him everything, becoming fully sold out for Christ.
Bible Reading
- Acts 19:11-16
God gave Paul the power to perform unusual miracles. When handkerchiefs or aprons that had merely touched his skin were placed on sick people, they were healed of their diseases, and evil spirits were expelled. A group of Jews, the sons of Sceva, tried to use the name of Jesus without truly knowing Him, and were overpowered by an evil spirit.
- Acts 3:1-10
Peter and John heal a lame man at the temple gate called Beautiful, not by their own power, but in the name of Jesus Christ.
- Matthew 16:24-25
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.”
Observation Questions
In Acts 19:11-16, what is the difference between how Paul ministered and how the sons of Sceva tried to minister? What was the result for each?
According to Acts 3:1-10, what did Peter and John offer the lame man, and what happened as a result?
In Matthew 16:24-25, what does Jesus say is required to follow Him?
The sermon described the sons of Sceva as having “a form of godliness without power.” What does that mean in the context of the story?
Interpretation Questions
Why do you think God’s power flowed through Paul but not through the sons of Sceva? What does this say abouT the importance of relationship with God versus just using religious words or rituals?
The sermon says, “A real move of God is sought after, not accidental.” What does it look like to actively seek God’s presence and power, based on the examples from Acts and the early church?
When Peter and John healed the lame man, they didn’t just offer comfort or empty words. What does this teach us about the kind of faith and expectation God wants from His church?
Jesus said following Him means denying ourselves and taking up our cross. How does this connect to the idea of being “sold out” and fully surrendered to God?
Application Questions
The sermon warns against “dead, fake religion”—going through the motions without real power. Are there areas in your spiritual life where you’ve settled for routine instead of real relationship and power? What would it look like to change that?
The early church “waited and contended in prayer” for the Holy Spirit. What is one practical way you can actively seek God this week, rather than waiting passively? (For example: setting aside time for prayer, fasting, or worship.)
The move of God is marked by miracles, healings, and transformed lives. Do you expect God to move in power in your life or in our church? Why or why not? How can you raise your level of expectation and faith?
The sermon challenged us to break the status quo and welcome anyone who comes, regardless of their background. Is there a group or type of person you find it hard to welcome or believe God can transform? How can you change your attitude or actions toward them?
Jesus prioritized God’s presence over tradition and comfort. Are there traditions, preferences, or schedules in your life that might be getting in the way of God moving? What could you do to make more room for God’s presence?
The real move of God requires total surrender. What is one area of your life where you struggle to fully surrender to God? What step could you take this week to give that area to Him?
The sermon said, “When we give everything to Him, we become vessels through which His power and presence can flow.” What is one thing you can do this week to be more available for God to use you to bless or minister to someone else?
Close in prayer, asking God to make your group hungry for His real presence and power, and to help each person take a step toward deeper surrender and expectation.
Devotional
Day 1: The Power of God Flows Through the Surrendered
There is a real, tangible power available to those who are surrendered to God and filled with His Spirit. This power is not about personal greatness or religious performance, but about the living presence of God working through yielded vessels. Just as Paul’s life was so saturated with God’s presence that even handkerchiefs that touched him brought healing, so too can believers today carry the transformative power of God into their world. The difference between powerless religion and a life marked by God’s power is not in outward rituals, but in a genuine relationship with Jesus and a heart surrendered to His Word and Spirit.
Acts 19:11-12 (ESV)
And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, 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.
Reflection: Where in your life do you need to move from religious routine to genuine surrender so that God’s power can flow through you to others?
Day 2: The Real Move of God Is Sought After, Not Accidental
A true move of God does not happen by chance or passive waiting; it is the result of actively seeking, contending, and waiting upon the Lord with expectation. The early church did not simply sit idly by—they gathered, prayed, and pressed in together, longing for the promised outpouring of the Holy Spirit. This kind of active waiting is like a servant anticipating the needs of their master, always ready and attentive. If we want to see God move in our lives, families, and churches, we must be willing to seek Him with persistence and hunger, refusing to settle for anything less than His presence and power.
Luke 24:49 (ESV)
“And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”
Reflection: What is one practical way you can actively seek God’s presence and power this week, rather than waiting passively for Him to move?
Day 3: The Real Move of God Breaks the Status Quo
Jesus and the early church consistently broke through religious traditions and man-made structures that hindered people from encountering God. The real move of God is not about maintaining comfort, tradition, or outward appearances—it’s about making room for God’s Spirit to move, even if it means disrupting our plans or expectations. Jesus drove out those who exploited the temple for profit, declaring that God’s house is to be a house of prayer for all people. Likewise, we are called to welcome everyone, regardless of their background, and to prioritize God’s presence over religious routine or social norms.
Matthew 21:12-13 (ESV)
And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.”
Reflection: Is there a tradition, comfort, or expectation you need to let go of so that God can move more freely in your life or church?
Day 4: The Real Move of God Requires Us to Be Sold Out
Following Jesus is not about convenience or half-hearted commitment; it is about being fully surrendered, laying down our own desires, and taking up our cross daily. The early church understood that to be a Christian meant to be all in—to love God so much that obedience flowed naturally from relationship, not from obligation. True discipleship means giving up our own way, letting go of self-interest, and living for Christ above all else. When we are sold out for Jesus, our lives become fertile ground for the real move of God to take root and bear fruit.
Matthew 16:24-25 (ESV)
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to surrender your own way and fully follow Jesus today?
Day 5: God’s Word Is Supreme Over Experience and Opinion
In a world full of opinions and shifting experiences, the Word of God stands as the ultimate authority. Revival and the real move of God begin when we return to the Bible, allowing it to shape our beliefs, actions, and expectations. God always backs His Word, and any experience or opinion that contradicts Scripture must be set aside. When we place God’s Word above everything else, we build our lives on a firm foundation and position ourselves to see God move in power.
Psalm 138:2 (ESV)
I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.
Reflection: Are there any opinions or experiences you’ve allowed to take precedence over God’s Word? How can you realign your heart and mind with Scripture today?
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