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Depending on the situa- tion and the circumstances of life many find it difficult to speak freely what God has placed in their heart. This is understandable because in many cases you are left with no one standing with you. It is easy to say that the “Lord will be with you”, but to someone in that situation it is easier said than done.
This is where we find the Disciples of Christ in this week’s lesson recorded in Acts 4:23-31. They are in a rough place trying to speak the words they were com- manded to say. The crowd was intimidating and the threats were real. Through their experience the church
learns how to speak God’s word in the midst of a hostile and threatening crowd.
Verse 23 - As soon as they were freed, Peter and John found the other disciples and told them what the Council had said. Peter and John found themselves arrested because they had performed a miracle and was preaching to the crowd. When the rulers heard their message they did not like the words they spoke and therefore ar- rested them. This serves as a note of caution and under- standing. When speaking a word of life, hope, and deliv- erance there are forces at work that will not like or ap-
Make Us Bold
preciate the message.
As a result those forces will
put you in bondage and do what they can to silence your work. The good news of the verse is that the arrest will not be forever. God always has and He always will bail you out. When they returned to their own people they re- ported what the chief priest had said. This served to let them know of the dangers and attacks they will suffer as a result of spreading this good news.
The words of the chief priest has the purpose of try- ing to scare you and intimi- date you from speaking a word that will heal, deliver, and set free those in bondage. The enemy comes after you to silence your witness and testimony. Some people are not strong enough or bold enough to face the opposition that is before them. It has lit- tle to do with loving the Lord!
Their resolve was to raise their voices together in prayer to God (vs. 24). When
one member of the body comes under attack it serves as a warning to us all. There- fore, they lifted their voices in a unified prayer. It is not clear if one person led the prayer or they were all pray- ing at the same time. What is important is that a group of people who had the same thing in common came to- gether to pray. When you come under attack there needs to be some people you can assemble with to pray.
What they prayed! “...And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and grant to your servants great bold- ness in their preaching, and send your healing power, and may miracles and wonders be done by the name of your holy servant Jesus” (vv. 28, 29). They did not pray for God to kill and destroy the enemy; they prayed for something for themselves to overcome the enemy. Too often people spend time praying for God to do some-
thing to the opposition in- stead of praying to God for something that will make them overcome the opposi- tion. They asked for bold- ness; great boldness. They not only prayed for great boldness but they also asked to let miracles be performed. In other words give us power todomoreofwhatgotusin trouble in the first place.
As a believer pray for what you need to overcome the enemy. Pray for the strength you need to stand your ground. When they prayed, God sent the Holy Ghost (vs. 31). God will send you what you need; all you need to do is ask and believe. God will give you what you need to overcome every obstacle that is in your way. The Holy Ghost will help you. The Holy Ghost will strengthen you and keep you.
Do not give up or give in. Do not continue to walk in fear of those who oppose you. Pray to God and ask Him to make you bold!
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2015 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 7-B