Acts 4:23 As soon as they were freed, Peter and John found the other disciples and told them what the Council had said.
24 Then all the believers united in this prayer:
“O Lord, Creator of heaven and earth and of the sea and everything in them— 25-26 you spoke long ago by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor King David, your servant, saying, ‘Why do the heathen rage against the Lord, and the foolish nations plan their little plots against Almighty God? The kings of the earth unite to fight against him and against the anointed Son of God!’
27 “That is what is happening here in this city today! For Herod the king, and Pontius Pilate the governor, and all the Romans—as well as the people of Israel—are united against Jesus, your anointed Son, your holy servant. 28 They won’t stop at anything that you in your wise power will let them do. 29 And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and grant to your servants great boldness in their preaching, 30 and send your healing power, and may miracles and wonders be done by the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
31 After this prayer, the building where they were meeting shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and boldly preached God’s message.
The new believers might have been shaking in their sandals. Peter and John have just been released after having been interrogated by Jewish religious authorities. All attempts at intimidation have failed, and the two men have returned to report to their friends. But instead of responding with fear, the group immediately breaks into shouts of praise. And these people are even begging for more holy boldness. 29 And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and grant to your servants great boldness in their preaching, 30 and send your healing power, and may miracles and wonders be done by the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
While this reaction might seem weird, remember that Jesus has already warned the disciples that they will face persecution and that they will even be cast out of the synagogues. Once more, Jesus’ prophecies are being fulfilled. But there is more. As the believers are praising and glorifying God, the Holy Spirit shakes the building, filling all who are there, and empowering them to speak even more boldly.
There’s an interesting thing about courage-the more courageously you stand, generally, the more you are inspired to continue to act courageously. Consider the situation of these believers. Religious authorities have no shortage of informers willing to give lists of names for a small fee. Many of the believers are poor or middle class, lacking any political clout. All these people have families who might suffer as a consequence of their becoming targets.; they have every reason in the world to remain silent and even to hide. And yet, the Holy Spirit emboldens these people so that they are all willing to go out to spread the Gospel, rendering themselves even more visible and more vulnerable.
In 2011 we took part in a Community Health Evangelism training program in Kansas City. Three of the other participants were Korean Christians who were seeking training in preparation for moving across the border into North Korea to witness. These men knew the risks were horrific, for only a few months previously, one North Korean believer had been run over by a bull dozer in the town square while his family was forced to watch. His crime? He showed a Christian video in the privacy of his own home.
There’s a song by Ray Bolz, “I Pledge Allegiance to the Lamb,” that testifies of the sacrifices made by Christians through the centuries. We live and work in West Africa, where parts of Burkina Faso and Northern Nigeria have been decimated by Islamic terrorists attacking Christians. Innocent church goers have been slaughtered as they have gathered for worship. Now we are hearing of increased persecution of Chinese and Russian Christians. Ukraine, which is largely Christian, remains under vicious attack by the Russians. For many people gathering to worship might cost them everything, but they still come to worship and go out to tell others about Jesus. Only the Holy Spirit can give this kind of boldness. May God anoint us with His Holy Spirit so that we too will be bold to tell others about him.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, please anoint us with Your Holy Spirit and give us holy boldness to tell others about You. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
Tags: bible, christianity, faith, god, jesus
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