SENT TO STRENGTHEN

Devotional

Day 1: Returning to Strengthen When Stones Still Fly

Paul didn’t avoid places that hurt him. He walked back into cities where he’d been stoned, rejected, and left for dead—not for closure, but to fortify believers. Persecution didn’t disqualify those communities; it revealed their need for deeper grounding. The kingdom advances through intentional rebuilding, not abandoning fractured foundations. When we retreat from hard places, we trade God’s architecture for our own comfort. True strengthening happens where the work feels riskiest. [15:06]

“After they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”
(Acts 14:21-22, ESV)

Reflection: Where have you been tempted to write off a person, place, or situation because of past pain? What would it look like to “return” there with Christ’s strengthening purpose?

Day 2: Gifts Are Tools, Not Trophies

The fivefold gifts—apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers—aren’t badges of honor but excavators for collective growth. A church that idolizes one gift over another becomes a lopsided structure. The evangelist recruits, the teacher roots, the prophet aligns, the pastor nurtures, the apostle pioneers. Without all five, disciples stay spiritual toddlers. These gifts exist so every believer does the work, not just professionals. [27:57]

“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God.”
(Ephesians 4:11-13, ESV)

Reflection: Which of the fivefold gifts do you naturally undervalue in yourself or others? How might that imbalance hinder your community’s maturity?

Day 3: Encouragement Is a Two-Way Street

Paul longed to visit Rome not just to impart wisdom but to receive strength from their faith. Mission trips aren’t about rescuers saving victims—they’re mutual exchanges. The Colombian church’s raw hunger reignited the team’s zeal, proving encouragement flows both ways. When we reduce ministry to one-directional expertise, we miss the fuel God hides in unexpected places. [38:49]

“For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you—that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.”
(Romans 1:11-12, ESV)

Reflection: When have you received unexpected spiritual nourishment from someone you intended to “help”? How does this shift your view of serving others?

Day 4: Apostolic Urgency in a 11 Million Soul City

Bogota’s 11 million people have no thriving local church—a staggering reality. Apostolic building isn’t about perfect strategies but obedient urgency. The kingdom advances when ordinary believers refuse to wait for ideal conditions. Christian and Jury planted with zero safety nets, yet their first service sparked supernatural provision. Delay often disguises disobedience. [45:00]

“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.”
(Matthew 28:19-20, ESV)

Reflection: What “Bogota-sized gap” in your sphere makes you feel inadequate? What one step of obedience could you take this week toward it?

Day 5: Passports and Mustard Seeds

A passport symbolizes readiness for divine assignments beyond our imagination. The pastor’s first international trip required faith smaller than a mustard seed—yet God funded it through an unexpected contract. Financial lack often masks fear of disruption. When we prioritize God’s global mission over our comfort, provision follows obedience. [46:45]

“He said to them, ‘Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.’”
(Matthew 17:20, ESV)

Reflection: What practical step (like getting a passport) have you delayed taking “just in case” God calls you? How might preparing in faith unlock new kingdom possibilities?

Sermon Summary

Acts 14 gives the picture of apostolic building: Paul and Barnabas do not simply arrive, preach, and move on. Paul goes back to Lystra, even after being stoned and left for dead there, because churches need strengthening, encouragement, equipping, and real discipleship. That is the difference between blessing and building. Blessing can be a once-off moment, but building stays involved when things get hard.

The apostolic call carries the purpose of the One who sends. The church’s time in Colombia was not about importing a Western church culture, but about strengthening what God is already doing in that nation. God met faithful obedience through churches like Jesus Esperanza de Vida, where Christian and Jury stepped out in faith, planted, and saw God provide from their very first service. Their story shows that when God calls and people obey, provision is not a theory.

The kingdom is an advance, not an enclosure. Jesus teaches His people to pray, “May your kingdom come,” and Acts 1 says the Holy Spirit gives power so believers will be Christ’s witnesses from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. Religion becomes a closed fortress, full of activity, rules, and tick-box exercises. The kingdom opens the gates and sends people beyond the walls. Deep hunger can exist alongside religious activity without discipleship, and that danger is not limited to Colombia.

Ephesians 4 places apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers in the church as Christ’s gifts for equipping the saints. The fivefold ministry is not there so leaders can do everything while everybody else watches. The body remains undeveloped when pastors preach, pray, worship, lead, and carry every burden alone. Healthy leadership needs healthy teams, and healthy churches release the gifts already sitting in the room.

The prophetic voice brings real-time alignment with God’s voice, while the apostolic gift brings structure for fulfilling that direction. Evangelistic churches can gather people quickly, yet they need discipleship tools to help people mature and remain. Matthew 28 calls the church not merely to gather crowds, but to make disciples, baptize them, and teach them.

Paul’s words in Romans 1 show that mission is mutual encouragement. Churches receive strengthening, materials, structure, and care, while those who go return with faith stirred by what God is doing. The call to the nations does not excuse anyone from local obedience, because Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth all belong to the same sending heart of God. God sends believers into workplaces, communities, cities, and nations, and He gives strategy, provision, and grace when they say yes.

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Key Takeaways

1. The kingdom advances beyond church walls. The kingdom cannot remain a safe enclosure built around familiar people and familiar patterns. Christ sends His people because His rule and reign are meant to break into present reality everywhere. The Holy Spirit is not merely given for private spiritual moments, but for witness beyond the walls. [25:49]
2. Building churches requires returning and strengthening. Paul’s return to hostile places reveals that lasting kingdom work does not abandon people after an initial response. Strengthening believers means staying present enough to encourage, equip, and help them endure hardship. Apostolic love is willing to go back into costly places for the sake of mature disciples. [15:34]
3. Fivefold gifts equip the whole body. Christ gives different gifts so that no leader carries everything and no believer remains passive. A church becomes unhealthy when pastors become exhausted and gifted people stay undeveloped in the seats. The priesthood of believers calls every member to step into the work God has placed in them. [32:41]
4. Discipleship must accompany evangelistic growth. Evangelistic fruit is beautiful, but gathering people is not the same as maturing them. Jesus commands His church to make disciples who are taught and formed, not merely counted after a service. Discipleship tools and shared leadership help new believers become steady, fruitful followers of Christ. [34:55]
5. God provides for obedient sending. Faith does not deny practical needs, but it refuses to make finances the final authority over obedience. God can give strategy, contracts, provision, relationships, and unexpected ways forward when He is in the call. A passport can become a simple act of readiness for a God who may say, “Here I am, send me.”

## [45:19]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[10:59] - Prayer for the Word and Nations
[13:13] - Building Rather Than Just Blessing
[14:25] - Paul and Barnabas Return to Strengthen
[16:28] - Sent to Strengthen
[18:14] - The Kingdom Is an Advance
[20:11] - Empowered to Witness Everywhere
[22:42] - Faith and Church Planting in Colombia
[27:35] - The Fivefold Equipping Engine
[32:41] - Releasing the Body Beyond Passive Church
[37:53] - Mutual Encouragement in Mission
[40:32] - Elders, Deacons, and Healthy Structure
[42:43] - Sent Locally, Nationally, and Globally
[44:20] - Returning to Colombia and Bogota
[47:10] - Prayer for Awakened Giftings

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Acts 14:21-22
“After preaching the gospel to that city and making many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” [14:25]

Ephesians 4:11-13
“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” [27:35]

Matthew 28:19-20
“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.” [34:55]

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.” [20:11]

Observation questions

In Acts 14:21-22, what did Paul and Barnabas do after making disciples, and what were they strengthening and encouraging the believers to do?
Why is Paul’s return to Lystra especially striking, considering what had happened to him there? [15:34]
According to Ephesians 4:11-13, what are the five ministry gifts meant to do, and what is the goal for the whole body of Christ?
What parts of making disciples are named in Matthew 28:19-20, beyond simply gathering people into a meeting? [35:02]

Interpretation questions

What does Paul and Barnabas returning to difficult places show about the difference between giving a once-off blessing and building lasting disciples? [16:11]
How might a church become busy with religious activity while still failing to help people grow as disciples of Jesus? [21:21]
Why might Christ give apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers instead of expecting one leader to carry every responsibility in the church? [32:32]
Acts 1:8 names Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. How does this show that local witness and global mission belong together rather than competing with each other? [43:20]

Application questions

Is there someone in your life who needs more than a quick word of encouragement—someone you could intentionally strengthen, check in on, pray with, or help take a next step in faith?
Paul returned to believers facing hardship rather than avoiding costly places. Where are you tempted to pull back because serving, loving, or staying involved has become uncomfortable? [15:53]
The Holy Spirit gives power for witness beyond church walls. What could witnessing for Jesus look like in your workplace, school, neighbourhood, or family this week? [25:49]
Are you more likely to treat church as a service you attend or as a body where you have a part to play? What gift, ability, or burden might God be inviting you to use for the good of others? [42:43]
Healthy leaders need healthy teams. Is there a leader you know who may be carrying too much? What practical support could you offer, rather than assuming someone else will help? [34:21]
Jesus calls His people to make disciples, baptize them, and teach them. What is one practical way you can help a newer believer grow, or take responsibility for your own growth as a disciple? [34:55]
God’s call can include practical steps of readiness as well as faith. Is there a next step of obedience God may be putting before you—locally or further afield—and what fear, financial concern, or excuse do you need to bring honestly to Him? [45:19]

Sermon Clips

79s

#TrustAndGo

“We tend to look at things and go, I cannot do it because of this, this, this, this, and this. But can I tell you, when God is in it, this doesn't matter? It doesn't matter. Because he will give you the strategy. He will give you the provision. He will give you the ways and the means of getting things done. So if you're serious, going, lord, here I am. Send me. Have a passport. You know, when we started traveling in, what is it, 2019 to The Philippines, that was our first trip. I was like, okay, Lord. I'm gonna trust you. I'm gonna get a passport. We're gonna get this done. And can I tell you, God, through our business, brought in a contract that managed to pay our tickets, our expenses, everything because we said yes?”

42s

#SayYesToNations

“Church, we cannot become an enclosure. We cannot become an enclosure to to try and protect the little that we have because that's when we're gonna lose it. The Lord is in it when we say yes to the nations. Honestly speaking, every time, every single time when we go to the nations or we go somewhere, God comes through miraculously in our finances, in our business. He does supernatural stuff. Why? Because when you take care of God's business, he takes care of yours.”

27s

#AnswerTheCall

“And so here's the thing, guys. We cannot be asking. We cannot continue to pray. Lord, let your kingdom come. And then when God sends us, because that's what he does. He sends people in order to to bring down heaven, but then we say we're not going. Then how can we pray? Lord, let your kingdom come, but we refuse to go.”

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