You may have heard the quote that proper preparation prevents poor performance. There is a great measure of truth in that statement. God needs prepared men. Several centuries ago, a Japanese emperor commissioned an artist to paint a bird. Several months passed, then several years, and still, no painting was brought to the palace. Finally, the emperor became so exasperated that he went to the artist’s home to demand an explanation. Instead of making excuses, the artist placed a blank canvas on the easel. In less than an hour, he completed a painting that was to become a brilliant masterpiece. When the emperor asked the reason for the delay, the artist showed him arm-loads of drawings of feathers, wings, heads, and feet. Then he explained that all of this research and study had been necessary before he could complete the painting.¹ Preparation is vital in the things of God. It’s something you will find that you will always be involved with. And that’s what we are going to look at in today’s podcast: Why Your Holy Spirit Preparation Is Part of Your God Story, that’s our focus on this week’s Light On Life.

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How God Grows A Courageous Church and Why It Matters

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You can view a basic transcript of this podcast at the bottom of this section.

Accept the Challenge

Each week’s podcast contains a call to action. The Word of God will not produce in your life unless you put it into operation.
This week’s call is:

Are you in training? After all, that’s part of what it means to be a disciple. The scripture is right – Never despise small beginnings. The training you are involved with today is getting you ready for your next step in God’s plan.

Join the Conversation

Each week’s podcast also contains a question designed to encourage testimony. Testimony is vital to a believer’s life. We overcome by it (Rev. 12:11).
This week’s question is:

Question: Do you have a God story that you would like to share that includes the idea of preparation? Would you please share your testimony in the comments section below?

Episode Resources:

For more information on Ephesians, please see the following:

1. #S8-032: The Powerful Authority Resident in Being Seated with Christ[Podcast]
2. #S8-033: How God Grows A Courageous Church and Why It Matters [Podcast]

About Emery

Emery committed his life to the Lord Jesus Christ over 40 years ago and has served as both a full-time pastor and an itinerant minister. Both he and his wife Sharon of 35 years emphasize personal growth and development through the Word of God. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is both the focus and the hallmark of their mission. Read more about them here.

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If you enjoyed the podcast, please rate it on Stitcher Radio and leave a review. If you have a suggestion for a Bible topic you would like to see taught, or if you have a question, please e-mail me at emery@emeryhorvath.com.

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Podcast Notes

Meet Apollos: Another Man Used of God to Build A Courageous Church

• In a previous podcast, we left off talking about Apollos and his Holy Spirit-led connection to the church at Ephesus.
• We talked specifically about how the saints in Ephesus got to be the saints in Ephesus in the first place.

Acts 18:24–28 (ESV) — 24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. 27 And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, 28 for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.

• We mentioned that Apollos was Jewish and a native of Alexandria, a great seaport city of 1 million people with a huge Jewish population — about 40%.
• We said that the city was a knowledge hub, with the Libary at Alexandria housing 700,000 scrolls.
• Compare that to the Library at Ephesus, built in the year 117 AD, which held 12,000 scrolls.
• This was the hometown of Apollos, and this background is part of his story and part of how God built a courageous church in Ephesus.

Apollos: Competent and Eloquent in the Scriptures

• Now, the word of God states that Apollos was an eloquent man.
• What does that mean?
• The Greek word ‘eloquent’ used here means speaking with precision, force, and persuasion, especially as the result of study.
• That ties in with the knowledge that was floating around Alexandria: Apollos was a studious man.
• That’s who God sent to Ephesus.
• He was also competent in the scriptures.
• Competent means having the skills and qualifications to do something well.
• You don’t acquire skills without preparation.
• Knowledge of God and His Word doesn’t come automatically.
• It takes time — it takes effort.
• It’s just like any relationship you have in the natural.
• You have to work at it so that it will blossom.
• What else was Apollos?
• He was instructed in the way of the Lord.
• The word ‘instructed’ means verbally informed.
• Do you remember how Paul ministered in the synagogue? — he reasoned.
• That’s part of Apollos’ development: he sat listening at the feet of others and learned.
• Again the preparation part is evident here.
• To hear, you have to show up to the meeting.
• You must make time for your teacher.
• That means availability.
• What else was Apollos?
• The scripture says that he was fervent.
• The word ‘fervent’ means to be inflamed or boil emotionally; it’s conceived of as water boiling.
• I don’t know if you know this, but this is a prayer that you can pray for yourself.
• If you feel that you are dragging in the things of God — that maybe you are spiritually low or off, You can ask the Lord to turn up the fire inside of you.
• But, be prepared when you do.
• His fire inside of you is all-consuming.
• You can be hard to live with when your heart is burning.
• You remember that Jeremiah experienced this burning.

Jeremiah 20:9 (ESV) — 9 If I say, “I will not mention him, or speak any more in his name,” there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot.

• Jeremiah couldn’t hold it back — the Word burning in Him was consuming.
• It will do you that way, too, if you pray.

Accurate

• The next trait that Apollos had that needs our focus is found in verse 25.

He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John.

• The Greek word ‘accurately’ pertains to strict conformity to a standard or norm, focusing on careful attention.
• If you used the words ‘carefully,’ or ‘exactly’ in addition to accurately, that would help you get the sense of this word: accurately — carefully — exactly.
• So, Apollos was a careful, exact, and accurate teacher of God’s Word.
• To be so, takes effort — it takes preparation.
• This kind of teacher, this kind of teaching, doesn’t just happen.
• This word ‘accurately’ is found in other places in the New Testament.
• It’s the same word used in Herod’s search for Jesus via the Wise-men.
• You remember the Wise-men of the Christmas story, right?

Matthew 2:8 (ESV) — 8 And he (Herod) sent them (the Wise-men) to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.”

• The word ‘diligently’ used here — ‘go and search diligently for the child’ is this Greek word that means accurately — carefully — exactly.
• That’s what Herod wanted – he didn’t want them to just work hard in finding Jesus.
• He wanted accuracy — he wanted to know exactly where Jesus was — Herod desired to pinpoint Jesus’ whereabouts exactly.
• Here’s another place the word ‘accurately’ is used.
• How about Luke 1:3.

Luke 1:3 (ESV) — 3 it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,

• Did you hear the word ‘orderly’ here?
• It seemed good to Luke to write an ‘orderly’ account of the life and ministry of Jesus.
• What does orderly mean — it means accurate, careful, and exact.
• So, Luke, the doctor took some time — spent some effort — tracked down details about the life of Jesus — that’s how you get things accurate.
• You can have confidence in the Word of God that you are reading.
• It wasn’t just slapped together in a mish-mosh fashion.
• Let’s look at one more place.

Ephesians 5:15 (ESV) — 15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,

• You see the word carefully here?
• You got it — it’s the same Greek word.
• This passage talks about your walk — the believer’s walk.
• How should you walk? — carefully.
• In what way should you live — exactly.
• How should you carry yourself? — carefully.
• You see, you can learn quite a bit from this simple Greek word.
• Let’s reread it: Look carefully then how you walk.
• There are a couple of other words that you need to know about here.
• The Greek word ‘look’ means to discern mentally, observe, perceive, consider, contemplate, look to in the sense of taking care, take heed.
• So, you see, the word ‘look’ doesn’t mean to take something in visually.
• Like you ‘look’ at TV or you look on the Internet or look at your email.
• When it comes to being accurate, careful, and exact about your walk, your ‘looking’ has to be more than just a casual glance.
• You probably already know that the word ‘walk’ — ‘look carefully how you walk’ — doesn’t mean taking a stroll.
• The walk spoken of here means to order one’s behavior.
• So now, when you put these three words together, here is what you have.

Be constantly taking heed how accurately you are conducting yourselves. That is, see to it that your conduct is accurate with respect to the demands of the Word of God.²

• So, we are looking at the traits of a prepared man.
• Apollos was accurate.
• What else do the scriptures divulge about him?

Preparation: Being A Good Steward

Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John.

• Lock-in on that last part: he knew only the baptism of John.
• So, Apollos was all that he was, eloquent; that is, he spoke with precision, force, and persuasion emanating out of his studious habit.
• He was instructed or verbally informed.
• Fervent, that is, inflamed or boiling emotionally.
• You could say he was hot in his heart.
• And to top that off, he was careful, exact, and accurate.
• Here is the point, Apollos was all of this with a lesser revelation of God’s word.
• He only knew the baptism of John.

Preparation: The Baptism of John and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit

• Now, read this passage in Acts nineteen; it will help in understanding the ‘baptism of John.’

Acts 19:1–7 (ESV) — 1 And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. 2 And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.” 4 And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. 7 There were about twelve men in all.

• Now, there are some things that you need to know to understand this passage.
• First, the Baptism of John was under the Old Covenant.
• Second, it is not possible to be a born-again Christian and not have the Holy Spirit.
• But, it is possible to be born again and not be filled with the Holy Spirit.
• The disciples in the Upper Room are proof of this.
• They were born again.
• John’s gospel has a record of their conversion.

John 20:19–23 (ESV) — 19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

• Did you hear the Lord Jesus here?
• He said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’
• You can’t receive the Holy Spirit unless you are born again.

John 7:38–39 (ESV) — 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ” 39 Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

• So, if Jesus said to the disciples, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit,’ that means they did.
• God’s Word does not return void.
• Since they received the Holy Spirit, that means they believed according to this passage in John seven.
• So, the disciples believed — the disciples received the Holy Spirit — yet Jesus told them to wait for the infilling of the Holy Spirit.

Luke 24:49 (ESV) — 49 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.”

• So, the disciples had the Spirit in them, but they weren’t clothed with power from on High.
• Maybe this passage of scripture may help us here.

Acts 2:4 (ESV) — 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

• The Greek word ‘filled’ means to fill completely, fill up, and cause to be full³
• It’s the same word as in Luke 5:7 of the miracle of filling Peter’s boat with fish.

Luke 5:7 (ESV) — 7 They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.

• You remember that they toiled all night, and they caught nothing.
• Jesus said to Peter, “I need your boat to preach in.”
• There was a huge crowd, and there was no room for Jesus to minister to the multitude.
• After Jesus finished, he told Peter to launch out into the deep and cast his net on the right side.
• They came up with such a humongous catch of fish that it FILLED the boat to the point it began to sink.
• That’s what full means.
• So, it’s one thing to have the Spirit; it’s quite another thing to be full of the Spirit.
• How do you know that you are full?
• The by-product of being full is speaking.

They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues — that’s what Acts 2:4 says.

Acts 4:8 (ESV) — 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders,

• Peter filled with the Spirit spoke — he said something — not in other tongues, but he said something because he was full – he had to get it out.
• Sometimes it’s like that — you have to speak, or it seems like you’re going bust.
• Now, we have digressed just a little, but it was all good — you now understand that Apollos had a lesser revelation of God’s Word — he knew only the baptism of John.
• He was faithful with the lesser revelation.
• And when you are faithful with less, God gives you more.
• If you are faithful with little, more will be your next-level portion.

Acts 18:24–26 (ESV) — 24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately

• So, Apollos was faithful with what he had so that the Lord could add more to his life.
• This leads us to another trait that Apollos had — boldness.

Preparation: Boldness

• You see this trait expressed in verse 26: ‘He began to speak boldly in the synagogue.’
• What does it mean to be a bold person?
• The word ‘boldness’ means to speak or express oneself freely, openly, fearlessly⁴
• Another Greek lexicon has it as to speak honestly and straightforwardly (as without fear). 
• You get the idea here — free, uninhibited speech without fear.
• Boldness is not something you work up or put on.
• But, it is something in your Holy Spirit arsenal because of the life of God within.

Proverbs 28:1 (ESV) — 1 The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.

• Boldness is a fruit of your righteous standing in God.
• Put this verse in Proverbs together with 2 Corinthians 5:23.

2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV) — 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

• You are the righteousness of God in Christ.
• What does that mean?
• It means you are no longer separated by sin — it’s like you never sinned a day in your life.
• Righteousness means a clean slate.
• If you have a clean slate, you can come to God with an open face.

Hebrews 4:16 (KJV) — 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

• Apollos was bold.
• Now boldness is a fruit of righteousness, and it is something you should be praying for.
• Paul did.

**Ephesians 6:18–20 (KJV) — 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; 19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

• Paul petitioned the Ephesian believers to pray for him that he might have utterance so that he might speak freely of the mysteries of the Kingdom of God as he felt that he ought to speak.
• So, add boldness to the list of Apollos’s traits.
• This leads us to yet another trait that Apollos possessed — humility.

Preparation: The Value of Humility

• Apollos didn’t raise up in pride when Priscilla and Aquila took him aside.
• He didn’t feel that taking him aside was taking him down.
• Apollos was humble — Apollos was teachable.
• You know, if you can’t receive correction — there is a problem.

1 Peter 5:5 (ESV) — 5 Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

• If you understand that God resists the proud, you can readily understand the value of humility.
• I mean, you don’t want any of that God ‘opposing you’ business.
• No, you want your heart to be clothed with humility.
• Give God credit for your life — for your abilities — for your possessions.
• You want your actions and responses to speak of Christ-likeness.

Matthew 11:28–30 (ESV) — 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

• Do you hear all these words in this group of verses? — learn, gentle, lowly, rest, easy, and light.
• That’s the walk of humility — and Apollos demonstrated that he had this trait.
• He had it before he met Priscilla and Aquila.

Preparation: Powerful

• The last Apollos trait that we want to look at is found in verse 28.

Acts 18:27–28 (ESV) —27 And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, 28 for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.

• He powerfully refuted the Jews.
• Now, I fully expected that when I went to look up the definition of the word ‘powerful’ that I find the Greek word for power, the word ‘dunamis.’
• But that’s not what I found.
• The word here ‘powerful’ or ‘powerfully’ means something else.
• It almost has ties to the fervent that we have already looked at because the word means vehemently or in a way marked by extreme intensity of emotions or convictions.
• Powerfully refuting the Jews means Apollos was extremely intense about what he was trying to communicate.
• Can we say it this way? He was emotionally intense.
• So, all of Apollos’s being was wrapped up in his message.

Apollos in Review

• So, let’s sum up what we’ve already come to know about this man that God sent to the church at Ephesus.
• Apollos was eloquent; he spoke with precision, force, and persuasion emanating out of his studious habit.
• He was instructed or verbally informed.
• Fervent, that is, inflamed or boiling in his heart.
• He was careful, exact, and accurate.
• He was faithful with a lesser revelation of God’s Word.
• When he received greater knowledge, he did so, exhibiting the fruit of humility and declaring what he had with great, bold, free speech, without any fear.
• Then lastly, we saw that Apollos was all-in where his message was concerned.
• This is the man God sent to Ephesus. *He was a prepared man — you don’t become all of this overnight.

Quotes on Preparation

• Now, as we get ready to close, I want you to know that there are some great quotes on this idea of preparation.
• Alexander Graham Bell said.

Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.

• Colin Powell said.

There are no secrets to success. It is a result of preparation, hard-work, and learning from failure.

• My favorite quote on preparation comes from Abraham Lincoln and actually got it from the Bible.
• This is what Lincoln said.

If I had eight hours to cut down a tree, I would spend six of those hours sharpening my axe.

• Again, he got that from Ecclesiastes 10:10.

Ecclesiastes 10:10 (ESV) — 10 If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge, he must use more strength, but wisdom helps one to succeed.

• What does wisdom teach us about cutting down trees?
• The best road to success is if you have a dull ax, sit down and sharpen it.
• That is prepare, prepare, prepare.
• You guys have a great God-week, and we will see you next time for another edition of Light On Life.

#S3-012: Why the Name of Jesus Works for Your Life [Podcast]

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