Shaking a Region
Pastors Rodney & Adonica Howard-BrownePublish date: 08/17/2025
Foundation Scriptures:
And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, 2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. 3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. 4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. 5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. 7 And all the men were about twelve. 8 And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God. 9 But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus. 10 And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. Acts 19:1-10 KJV
So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed. Acts 19:20 KJV
1. Shaking a Region.
a. In Acts 19, Paul arrives in Ephesus — a wealthy, influential city steeped in idolatry and occultism.
b. He first preaches to twelve, then to hundreds, then thousands, and beyond.
c. By the time he leaves, the whole region has heard the word, strongholds are broken, and the spiritual atmosphere is changed.
d. This passage shows us how the Gospel doesn’t just touch individuals—it shakes entire cities, and then the surrounding region.
2. A Region is Shaken When the Power of the Holy Ghost is Present.
a. Acts 19:1–7
b. The first people Paul meets are (twelve) disciples who had been baptized into John’s baptism.
c. He asked if they had received the baptism in the Holy Ghost, but they had not yet heard nor received.
d. Paul preached to them, and they were baptized into Jesus’ baptism, received the Holy Ghost, and spoke in tongues.
e. Ephesus was a spiritually dark city; powerless believers would not shake it.
f. The Holy Ghost is the power source for city-shaking ministry (Acts 1:8).
g. Churches and believers without the power of the Spirit will make little impact.
h. Before we can shake a city or a region, God must shake us.
i. Zechariah 4:6 — “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.”
3. A Region is Shaken When the Word of God is Boldly Preached.
a. Acts 19:8
b. Paul went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the Kingdom of God.
c. Shaking a city requires bold, clear preaching of the Word — not opinions or watered-down messages.
d. The Gospel challenges the mind and confronts the heart.
e. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God (Rom. 10:17).
f. When Jonah preached, Nineveh (a very large and powerful city) repented (Jonah 3:5–10).
g. Bold preaching produces conviction and calls for decision.
h. People are compelled to make a choice.
4. A Region is Shaken When the Church Refuses to be Silenced.
a. Acts 19:9
b. When opposition arose, Paul didn’t stop — he relocated to the school of Tyrannus and kept teaching daily.
c. Opposition is proof that the message is making an impact.
d. If the door closes in one place, God can open another.
e. The early church thrived in persecution, not comfort (Acts 8:4).
f. We don’t quit because of resistance — we press through until the city feels the impact.
g. If we won’t quit, the city, and then the entire region, will be impacted.
5. A Region is Shaken When the Gospel Saturates the Region.
a. Acts 19:10
b. Paul’s persistence resulted in “all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.”
c. Our vision must be bigger than our buildings — it’s about reaching the whole city, then beyond.
d. Evangelism must be consistent, intentional, and Spirit-led.
e. City-shaking believers are not satisfied until everyone has heard.
f. The Gospel must be preached in all the world before the end comes (Matt. 24:14).
6. Keys to Shaking a Region Today.
a. Be Spirit-Filled — You can’t shake a city, or a region, in the flesh.
b. Preach Boldly — Speak the truth in love, without compromise.
c. Stand firm in Opposition — Expect resistance but refuse to back down.
d. Reach Everyone — Go beyond the four walls; saturate your community.
e. Paul didn’t just pass through Ephesus — he left it transformed.
f. The power of the Holy Ghost, bold preaching, perseverance, and an outward-reaching vision brought a spiritual earthquake.
g. If we want to shake our cities, counties, states, and nations today, we must carry the same fire.
h. Acts 17:6b NKJV –– These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.