Move Anyway | Part 4 | Matt Johnson

Devotional

Day 1: Fire Horses and Whirlwind Promises

Jesus stood among His disciples after rising, scars visible, fish broiling over coals. He spoke of God’s kingdom for forty days, proving His resurrection body could eat, walk, and teach. The same Spirit that empowered Elijah’s fiery chariot exit now prepared to dwell in ordinary fishermen. [38:26]

God’s plan never changes, only His methods. The Spirit that parted the Jordan for Elisha now empowers believers to cross modern barriers. Jesus’ physical departure didn’t end His work—it transferred it to Spirit-filled hands.

You’ve been handed the same mission as Elisha and the apostles. Where have you assumed God’s work stalled because of changing circumstances? Identify one relationship or task where you’ll act today as God’s Spirit-empowered partner.

“In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach.”
(Acts 1:1, ESV)

Prayer: Ask God to show you one area where He’s calling you to continue Jesus’ unfinished work.
Challenge: Text one person today: “How can I pray for your Jordan River moment this week?”

Day 2: Double Portion in Dry Riverbeds

Elisha tore his cloak as Elijah vanished in the whirlwind. He struck the Jordan with the prophet’s mantle, crying, “Where is the Lord?” The waters parted—the same power that raised Christ now flowed through ordinary cloth. [44:17]

God answers bold requests for His Spirit’s power. The “double portion” wasn’t about quantity but inheritance—Elisha sought to sustain Elijah’s legacy. Jesus promises greater works through His Spirit, not better programs.

What Kingdom work feels impossible without supernatural help? Stop strategizing human solutions. Strike your obstacle today with prayer as Elisha struck the river. Will you risk looking foolish to access God’s power?

“And Elisha said, ‘Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.’”
(2 Kings 2:9, ESV)

Prayer: Confess one situation where you’ve relied on human effort over the Spirit’s power.
Challenge: Write “2 Kings 2:14” on your hand—when faced with a challenge today, physically look at it and pray.

Day 3: From Mountain to Nations

The resurrected Christ stood on a Galilean hillside, nail marks glinting in the sun. “All authority is mine,” He declared, then tasked fishermen with global discipleship. Their classroom shifted from following footsteps to carrying crosses. [49:05]

Jesus didn’t commission professionals but transformed failures. The disciples’ credibility came from encountering the risen Lord, not theological degrees. Your witness flows from time spent with Him, not perfect behavior.

Who needs your “broiled fish” testimony today—not a polished gospel presentation, but raw stories of Christ’s work in your life? When will you share how Jesus fed you in your hunger or calmed your storms?

“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.”
(Matthew 28:19, ESV)

Prayer: Thank Jesus for three specific ways He’s transformed you since following Him.
Challenge: Write “All nations” on your mirror—pray for one unreached people group while brushing your teeth.

Day 4: Truth-Telling Wind

Jesus breathed on the disciples post-resurrection: “Receive the Spirit.” This same breath later roared through the Upper Room at Pentecost. The Spirit who hovered over creation’s waters now dwells in cracked clay jars. [54:45]

God’s Spirit specializes in truth, not flattery. He confronts our Baal-worship tendencies—career idols, secret sins, self-salvation projects. His fire consumes lies; His wind scatters chaff.

What falsehood have you tolerated because it’s comfortable? Invite the Spirit to spotlight one area where you’ve believed Satan’s “Did God really say?” over Christ’s “It is written.” Will you let Him replace that lie today?

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth.”
(John 14:16-17, ESV)

Prayer: Confess one lie you’ve believed, then read John 8:32 aloud three times.
Challenge: Delete one compromising media file/contact—replace it with a Scripture voice memo.

Day 5: Upper Room Dust on Sandals

The disciples walked back from Olivet, sandals coated in ascension dust. They didn’t hire marketers or draft strategic plans—they “devoted themselves to prayer.” The janitor Ron’s legacy began here: ordinary people clinging to God together. [01:01:22]

Corporate prayer isn’t filler between songs—it’s warfare planning. The Upper Room birthed Pentecost’s power; prayer meetings birth modern revivals. Your prayer circle could be training future world-changers.

When did you last weep with others over lost neighbors? Gather two believers this week—not to discuss programs, but to pound heaven’s doors. Will you initiate a 15-minute prayer huddle today?

“All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.”
(Acts 1:14, ESV)

Prayer: Ask three people to join a 7-day prayer chain for your neighborhood.
Challenge: Place chairs in a circle at home—text two friends: “Upper Room meeting here tomorrow at [time].”

Sermon Summary

We trace a clear thread from Jesus earthly ministry into the birth of the church. We recall the resurrection as proof that Jesus is who he claimed to be and that God keeps the single plan of salvation through history. We note a decisive transition: Jesus ascends to the Father, yet the same work continues because the Spirit will now empower the people. We read Luke as intentional. The same word connects Elijah leaving and Elisha receiving power to Jesus leaving and the church receiving the Spirit. That Old Testament pattern shows that God transfers authority by giving his own Spirit, not by handing over a title or program.

We examine how Jesus prepared his followers. He gave many proofs, taught about the kingdom, and commanded the Great Commission: make disciples of all nations, baptize, and teach obedience. Jesus promised his abiding presence through the Spirit. The Spirit will dwell in believers, bring wisdom and power, and enable the church to represent God on earth. Isaiah’s portrait of the Spirit emphasizes wisdom, counsel, might, and the fear of the Lord. Those qualities diagnose heart issues, give strategy, and bring truth into action.

We confront the practical call. Waiting for the promise does not mean idleness. The first followers gathered in community, persisted in prayer, and devoted themselves to Scripture and fellowship while they waited. Personal disciplines—daily Scripture reading, prayer, solitude, reflection—shape a living relationship with God and cultivate people who can make disciples. Witness flows from being filled with the Spirit and from living the teachings we were given. Baptism symbolizes union with Christ, dying to the old life and rising to walk in newness. We receive the Spirit to be witnesses, not to build programs for their own sake. We must attach ourselves to God and to one another, persist in prayer, and go where the Spirit directs to extend the kingdom.

Key Takeaways

1. The Spirit continues Jesus' ministry The same divine Spirit that empowered Jesus now fills believers to carry on his work. That continuity means authority and power do not vanish with an earthly exit; they relocate into a community shaped by Scripture, prayer, and obedience. The Spirit equips ordinary people to do extraordinary kingdom work. [41:30]
2. Scripture shapes transitions and promise God uses historical patterns to signal future action so that transitions do not unsettle faith but confirm a plan. The Elijah-Elisha pattern shows an intentional transfer of spiritual authority through God’s Spirit, reminding us that change can be both sovereign and purposeful. Reading Scripture in context reveals how promises unfold across generations. [39:36]
3. Daily disciplines foster spiritual growth Persistent practices like Bible reading, prayer, and solitude form the soil where the Spirit produces life and fruit. These practices do more than inform; they train perception, align affections, and sharpen discernment for kingdom decisions. Spiritual formation rests on regular encounter, not merely program participation. [51:43]
4. Community prayer sharpens witness readiness Waiting for God’s promise calls for communal devotion and persistent prayer, not passive expectation. Gathering in unity and sticking close to one another creates a context where the Spirit prepares witnesses for mission. Prayer together focuses the church’s attention on God and primes obedience. [61:22]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[33:25] - Resurrection affirmed
[34:14] - Facing transition: Now what?
[36:50] - Luke: Gospel and Acts connection
[39:36] - Elijah and Elisha pattern
[44:17] - Elijah taken up: the sign
[45:34] - Proofs and the kingdom teaching
[48:18] - The Great Commission explained
[49:38] - Questioning effective discipleship
[50:22] - Willow Creek study findings
[51:43] - Practice: Bible, prayer, solitude
[53:04] - Promise: Wait for the Spirit
[58:52] - Mission: be witnesses to all
[61:22] - Waiting in prayer and community
[65:03] - Baptism imagery and call

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Acts 1:1-11 (ESV)
"In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, 'you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.' So when they had come together, they asked him, 'Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?' He said to them, 'It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 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.' And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, 'Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.'"

Observation Questions

What specific instructions did Jesus give His followers before ascending to heaven, and what promise did He emphasize (Acts 1:4-5)?
How does the story of Elijah’s departure in 2 Kings 2:9-11 connect to Jesus’ ascension and the transfer of spiritual authority to believers? [39:36]
What four qualities of the Holy Spirit are highlighted in Isaiah 11:2, and how do they relate to believers’ daily lives? [56:34]
What practical actions did the disciples take while waiting for the Holy Spirit, according to Acts 1:14 and the sermon? [01:01:22]

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think Jesus emphasized waiting for the Holy Spirit instead of immediately sending the disciples out after His resurrection?
The sermon mentions that the Elijah-Elisha transition shows God’s pattern of transferring authority through His Spirit, not titles or programs. How does this contrast with how leadership transitions are often handled in modern organizations? [41:30]
Isaiah 11:2 describes the Spirit’s qualities (wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, etc.). How might these traits specifically address the "heart issues" and "strategy" gaps mentioned in the sermon? [57:19]
Acts 1:14 says the disciples were “devoted” to prayer. What does this imply about the relationship between communal prayer and readiness for mission?

Application Questions

The sermon stresses that daily disciplines like Bible reading and prayer are foundational for spiritual growth. What is one small, consistent habit you could start (or strengthen) this week to deepen your friendship with God? [51:43]
The Holy Spirit’s power is given to make us witnesses, not just to fuel personal comfort. Where in your daily life (work, neighborhood, family) do you feel least equipped to represent Christ? How could you rely on the Spirit’s wisdom or counsel in that area? [58:52]
The early church waited in prayerful community. How could you intentionally create or deepen relationships with other believers to “attach yourself” to God and others in prayer? [01:01:22]
Baptism symbolizes dying to old ways and rising to new life. What specific attitude, habit, or relationship do you need to “die to” so the Spirit can empower you to walk in greater obedience? [01:05:03]
The sermon warns against substituting programs for personal discipleship. What routines or activities in your life might unintentionally distract you from cultivating a daily relationship with God? How could you reorient them? [50:22]

Sermon Clips

37s

#SpiritGivesLife

“This is the one defining characteristic that is makes the church different from every other entity on the face of the earth. Lots of places could feed the poor and provide and care and even love and and give shelter, but only the church has the spirit of God. That is the one difference. But that is the most important difference because that is the one spirit that gives life and that saves people. And that's what God offers to everyone. We we can boast about it sure, but let's do more than boast. Let's share share it with others because this is the life giving spirit that God has given to us.”

33s

#GoMakeDisciples

“All nations. I want the whole earth to know who I am. I want to extend my kingdom, my rule and reign. A disciple is a follower of Jesus, someone that follows after him. You're gonna baptize him in the name of the father and the son and the holy spirit. We're gonna celebrate some baptisms after this service today. How appropriate. And Jesus said, I want you to teach them to observe all that I have commanded you. Jesus said, didn't say just have faith. He said, no, there's some things that I've commanded you. I want you to live them out because I've got the best way for you all to live. I know humanity.”

38s

#HeWillReturn

“So let's answer the question, what in the world do you do when you're in a time of waiting? We asked the question at the beginning, we finally pay it off now and give you the answer. Well, let's do what the disciples, the first followers of Jesus did. We read in verses nine through 11 that at this time Jesus ascends. It says that a cloud takes him up to heaven. And I love this. All the disciples are staring up to heaven because of course, that's a pretty cool thing to witness. Two angels show up and they say to them, why are you looking up into heaven? Duh. Look, guy's going up in a cloud. He said the same Jesus that you see going up, he's gonna come back someday in the same way.”

28s

#PersistInPrayer

“They get together, and it says they devoted themselves to prayer. This word devoted, it means to persist or persevere in something. Don't just pray every now and then persist, persevere in it. It also means to stick by or be close at hand. I love this. It also means in the Greek to attach yourself to somebody. Attach yourself to God in prayer. Get in community, stick to one another, and stick yourselves to God. Spend time sticking yourself to him and seeking him.”

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Move Anyway | Part 4 | Matt Johnson

Devotional

Day 1: Fire Horses and Whirlwind Promises

Day 2: Double Portion in Dry Riverbeds

Day 3: From Mountain to Nations

Day 4: Truth-Telling Wind

Day 5: Upper Room Dust on Sandals

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Move Anyway | Part 4 | Matt Johnson

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