| Photo by Saymund (aka Oleg Cloes) on Unsplash
In Acts 4, Peter and John were told to stop speaking about Jesus. But they said, “We will continue to speak about what Jesus has done in their lives.”
They let Peter and John go, and they go to their friends. They tell them what was said about speaking about Jesus anymore.
What do they do? The start praying! What do they pray? “Lord give us boldness to share Jesus!”
Acts 4:29-31: “And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while You stretch out Your hand, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of Your holy servant Jesus. And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the Word of God with boldness.”
They did not pray for comfort but for boldness! They did not pray against the situation; they prayed for boldness to stand for Jesus despite the persecution.
How did God respond? The place was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke about Jesus with boldness!
How many of us are praying for comfort, ease, material blessings instead of praying for boldness to live for Jesus and to speak the name of Jesus today?
We need to be filled with the Spirit daily to experience Jesus’ boldness! Lord, fill me today!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Pastor Ronald Squibb has been the International Christian Center (ICC) Lead Senior Pastor at Staten Island, New York, since 2011. He draws on many experiences from his over 40 years as a pastor and from significant emotional experiences.
His new book, Following the Journey with Jesus, which he co-authored with Daniel McNaughton, was recently published and is receiving rave reviews. The daily devotion appears in this publication.
