Back in July 2024, I shared a message about The Power of One Accord. Just as we cannot be on one accord with one another until we are in agreement with God, we also cannot be on one accord until we all repent before Him.

Scripture says, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sins, and heal their land.” This only works when all followers of Christ come together and do it.

The Scriptures Give Us An Example

In Acts 19:15-20, we see a powerful moment of confrontation, fear, and ultimately, revival. This passage tells the story of the sons of Sceva, who attempted to invoke the name of Jesus without a true relationship with Him.

As a result, they were overpowered by a demon, exposing their lack of spiritual authority. This shocking event shook the entire city of Ephesus, leading to a wave of repentance where many believers publicly confessed their sins and burned their books of magic. This act of collective surrender led to the mighty increase and spread of God’s Word.

This passage reveals that true repentance is not just an individual act, but a movement of unity—One Accord Repentance.

When the people of Ephesus saw the difference between false authority and the true power of Jesus, they were convicted. Their response was not silent or hidden; it was public, unified, and sacrificial.

The Difference Between Imitation and Authority

The sons of Sceva tried to cast out demons in the name of Jesus, but they had no personal connection to Him.

Their words were empty because they lacked true authority. This is a warning to all who try to mimic faith without true relationship.

Just because we know the right words to say or the right actions to take does not mean we carry the power of God. True authority comes from intimacy with Jesus.

The evil spirit’s response is very telling: “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” (Acts 19:15).

This question exposes the powerless state of those who claim the name of Jesus without true submission to Him. It also highlights this truth: the spiritual realm recognizes genuine authority.

In contrast, Paul’s name was known in the spirit because he walked in true obedience and relationship with Jesus. This shows that those who live in alignment with God’s will—who have truly repented and surrendered—carry a weight of spiritual authority that even demons recognize.

A United Response: Confession and Surrender

What happened AFTER this was so powerful.

The fear of the Lord fell upon the whole city, and people responded with radical repentance.

Those who had previously practiced magic—who had once sought power outside of God—came forward, confessing their deeds and publicly renouncing their sins.

This was not a casual or half-hearted repentance. They didn’t just say they were sorry—they demonstrated their repentance by burning their expensive books of sorcery, cutting off all ties to their former ways.

The total value of what they burned was fifty thousand pieces of silver—a staggering amount, showing the depth of their surrender.

This act of repentance was not done in isolation. It was a communal, visible movement. When the people of God unite in repentance, the power of sin is broken, and the authority of Jesus is established in a new way.

The Power of One Accord Repentance

The result of this mass repentance was that “the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily” (Acts 19:20).

When the people came together on one accord to repent—when they truly turn from their old ways—God’s Word spreads with power.

This is a pattern we see throughout Scripture:

• In 2 Chronicles 7:14, God promises healing to a nation when His people humble themselves, pray, seek His face, and turn from their wicked ways.

• In Acts 2, the early church experienced an outpouring of the Holy Spirit when they were gathered together in one accord, leading to thousands being saved.

• In Jonah 3, the entire city of Nineveh repented together, and God relented from His judgment.

When repentance happens in unity, revival follows.

What Does This Mean for Us Today?

The church today needs a fresh movement of One Accord Repentance. Too often, we settle for individualistic faith—privately confessing our sins but avoiding true accountability and radical change. The revival in Ephesus didn’t happen because of personal conviction alone—it happened because the believers acted together in repentance.

This passage challenges us to ask:

• Are we merely imitating faith, or do we walk in true authority?

• Are we holding onto things from our past that need to be burned?

• Are we willing to confess and surrender publicly, demonstrating true repentance?

• Are we seeking personal revival and contending for a corporate move of God?

If we desire to see the Word of God increase and prevail mightily in our generation, we must embrace the call to One Accord Repentance. This means laying aside every sin, every idol, and every false authority we have trusted in, and turning wholeheartedly to Jesus—not just as individuals, but as a unified body.

Let us be a people whom the spiritual realm recognizes—not because we merely use the name of Jesus, but because we live in His power, authority, and holiness.