The Lord had moved Apollos from Egypt to Ephesus, before Paul started his missionary journey from Antioch to Ephesus. By the time Paul arrived, the Lord had moved Apollos on to Corinth and we assume that Priscilla and Aquila may have moved back to Rome (Acts 18:2) as there is no further mention of them in Ephesus (Romans 16:3). When Paul arrived, he asked the few believers if they had received the Holy Spirit (Acts 11:15; 15:8).

The men did not know about the Holy Spirit. They had been baptised only to demonstrate their repentance, as Apollos had taught them (Acts 18:25). Although repentance is an essential part of having a relationship with God through Jesus, it is not enough. Paul explained that faith in God was not just about being sorry for wrong doing and promising to be good, but believing in Jesus who paid for that sin in His crucifixion and receiving Him into their hearts by the Holy Spirit (John 1:12; Acts 2:28).

The twelve men accepted Paul's teaching and believed in Jesus the Saviour. When they were baptised in the Name of Jesus, the Father gave them the Holy Spirit (John 14:26; Romans 8:9). The Holy Spirit overwhelmed them and they spoke in languages they had not previously learned, just like the disciples on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:4-11). The Holy Spirit was moving inside them so that they could move together as a real church in Ephesus to be the Body of Christ and proclaim Him in that city.

The Lord moves His people to announce Christ, so that He might live in human hearts as they trust Him (Ephesians 3:17), filling them with His Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:15-18). That is the remarkable thing about trusting God to move you to where He can use you – the result is that the Holy Spirit moves to live in people's hearts, moving their deep desires, thoughts, words and actions. As we keep in step with the Spirit (Galatians 5:25) so many things in our life may change: our location, our work, our friends, our thoughts, words and activities. The Lord is using all those changes to demonstrate to the world that our confidence is in the unchanging God who mobilises His people for His purposes and His glory. Do not resist Him: choose what He has chosen for you, and keep trusting - because His Holy Spirit will move you safely onwards (Romans 8:14).