Life in Christ is a continuous season of learning, correction, and spiritual growth. In Ephesus, Paul illustrated this truth as he taught a group of disciples who had been well instructed by John the Baptist, yet their understanding was incomplete. They knew repentance, but not redemption. They anticipated the Messiah, but had not yet experienced the risen Christ. It was a call to return to school—not to study textbooks, but to encounter the transformative power of the Holy Spirit and receive the fullness of the gospel.

When Paul laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit confirmed their faith with power, moving them from students of prophecy to witnesses of fulfillment. As he taught in the synagogue and later in the school of Tyrannus, the Word of God spread across Asia Minor. Hearts were softened, chains of sin and sickness were broken, and God’s truth prevailed, demonstrating that His message carries both authority and miraculous power.

Yet not all attempted to wield God’s power rightly. The sons of Sceva learned that spiritual authority cannot be borrowed; it comes only through a genuine relationship with Christ. Their failure became a profound lesson: power without truth is empty, and religion without the Spirit is powerless. In response, believers publicly destroyed books of magic and false teachings, embracing repentance and surrender as a testimony to God’s prevailing Word.

How are we embracing the lifelong classroom of faith, allowing the Spirit to teach and transform us? In what areas might we need to surrender false confidence and fully rely on the authority Christ provides? As God’s Word continues to grow mightily, we are invited to participate in His transformative work in the world and in our lives.