Advancing the Kingdom || Miguel Valtierra

Jesus’ resurrection gives the Great Commission its authority. The one who died on the cross and rose from the grave sends his disciples to make disciples of all nations. All authority in heaven and on earth stands behind that assignment. “As they go,” believers are called to share their faith, speak life, and carry the hope of Jesus into ordinary places.

The Holy Spirit gives power for that work. Grocery stores, restaurants, schools, and workplaces can become places where people encounter Jesus through prayer and a believer’s willingness to respond. The power Jesus gives is not confined to an altar or the four walls of a church. Acts connects the Spirit’s coming with being witnesses everywhere. Sunday gatherings equip believers to carry their faith into the rest of the week.

God pours out his Spirit on sons and daughters, young and old. Neither age nor gender disqualifies someone from being used by God. The call to bring good news, comfort the brokenhearted, and announce freedom gives purpose to the church’s expectation of favor and acceleration. A divine moment is not merely an opportunity for personal progress. It is an opportunity to reach people who have never heard about Jesus, whether in India or Northwest Indiana.

Boldness grows from knowing God as Father and making room to hear his voice. Samuel needed to recognize the God who was already calling him. Prayer therefore includes bringing needs before God, but also becoming quiet enough to listen.

The gospel remains the power of God for salvation, and people cannot believe in someone they have never heard about. Not everyone is called to the nations, but every believer is called to reach a neighbor. Giving helps make that work possible. Salvation comes through faith in the crucified and risen Jesus, and the church is called to respond with generosity, courage, and readiness for God to work.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Ordinary errands can become kingdom opportunities. Making disciples belongs in daily life, not only in planned outreach. A meal or a trip for baby formula can become an opportunity to pray with someone who needs Jesus. The difference is a believer’s willingness to notice the person and respond to the Holy Spirit rather than treating the encounter as an interruption. [33:02]
• 2. The Spirit empowers witnesses beyond church. The Holy Spirit gives more than strength to get through personal difficulties. Acts ties his power to telling people about Jesus everywhere, including businesses and the marketplace. A church gathering equips believers for a life of witness beyond its walls rather than becoming the only place where they expect God to move. [36:46]
• 3. Age does not cancel God’s calling. God’s promise includes sons and daughters, young and old, men and women alike. Teenagers can lead someone to Jesus, and older believers do not reach an age when their prayers and service stop mattering. The Spirit’s availability challenges both the hesitation of youth and the assumption that usefulness eventually expires. [40:30]
• 4. Listening belongs inside a prayer life. Samuel heard God before he knew how to recognize God’s voice. Learning to listen requires time in God’s presence, not simply a longer list of requests. Bringing needs to God is biblical, but prayer also needs room for silence and a willingness to hear what God wants to say. [51:12]
• 5. Generosity can reach beyond one lifetime. A scholarship for a youth conference or camp can help set a life on a different course. Giving toward someone’s encounter with Jesus may bear fruit years later in ministry and a willingness to serve in another nation. Kingdom giving therefore matters not only for the immediate expense, but also for the people who may eventually hear the gospel because of it. [54:30]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [26:39] - A Heart for Souls and God’s Kingdom
• [27:33] - The Risen Jesus and All Authority
• [30:10] - Making Disciples as Believers Go
• [33:29] - Power and Authority for Ministry
• [36:46] - Spirit-Empowered Witness Beyond Church Walls
• [39:17] - Teenagers Reaching a Gas Station Clerk
• [40:30] - The Holy Spirit for Every Generation
• [41:53] - Favor, Acceleration, and the Mission Field
• [45:42] - Local Mission and Freedom From Fear
• [47:20] - Access to the Father and Time to Listen
• [52:58] - Reaching Neighbors and Sending Missionaries
• [1:05:03] - Trusting God Through Sacrificial Giving
• [1:06:11] - Salvation Through Faith in Jesus
• [1:08:33] - Prayer for Boldness and Breakthrough

Bible Reading

Matthew 28:18-20
“And Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” [27:48]

Acts 1:8
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” [36:46]

Romans 10:14
“How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?” [53:26]

Observation questions

1. In Matthew 28:18–20, what does Jesus say about his authority before sending his disciples, and what responsibilities does he give them? [29:03]
2. What happened during the restaurant visit and the trip to buy baby formula that turned ordinary errands into opportunities to share Jesus? [34:50]
3. In Acts 1:8, what is the purpose of the power the Holy Spirit gives, and how far does Jesus say his disciples’ witness will reach? [36:56]
4. In Romans 10:14, what connections does Paul make between someone telling people about Jesus, their hearing, and their believing? [53:26]

Interpretation questions

1. How does Jesus’ authority in Matthew 28:18–20 give confidence to a believer who feels unqualified to share their faith with a coworker or family member? [29:31]
2. How does Acts 1:8 challenge the idea that the Holy Spirit’s power is mainly for personal help or experiences inside a church building? What difference would that make to how a church prepares people for the week ahead? [37:09]
3. In light of Romans 10:14, why is it important for believers to explain who Jesus is rather than assuming that kindness alone communicates the gospel? How can words and practical care work together? [53:26]

Application questions

1. Think about a recent errand, meal out, or day at work. Was there someone whose need you noticed—or might have overlooked because you were busy? What could help you make room for a conversation or offer of prayer next time? [32:46]
2. Who is one neighbor, coworker, or family member you would like to talk with about Jesus? What makes that conversation difficult, and what small, respectful step could you take this week? [53:44]
3. God’s Spirit is available to young and old, men and women alike. Have you ever felt that your age or gender made you less useful to God? What opportunity to pray, serve, or share your faith might you reconsider? [40:48]
4. Prayer includes bringing your needs to God and making room to listen. What does that balance look like in your prayer life right now? When and where could you set aside a few quiet minutes with God this week? [51:33]
5. Knowing God as Father gives believers confidence to approach him. When you feel afraid to share your faith, what do you tend to believe about yourself or about God? How might remembering his love help you respond differently? [46:45]
6. Generosity can help someone encounter Jesus and bear fruit years later. Has someone’s generosity helped your faith grow? What opportunity might you prayerfully consider supporting—a camp scholarship, a local ministry, or someone serving overseas? [54:40]