Do you consider yourself bold?
Yesterday I was reading in Acts about Peter and John. After Jesus went back to Heaven and sent the Holy Spirit, the apostles did some amazing things. Peter healed a beggar at the temple gate. When the Sadducees and the priests heard Peter and John speak and saw the power of their words, they felt threatened and put the two in jail.
The next day after questioning the men, the rulers and teachers of the law couldn’t solidify any accusations, so they told them not to speak any more in Jesus name and let them go. Upon the release, Peter and John went back to their own people and prayed what I like to call the “Boldness Prayer.”
“Now Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” Acts 4:29
They had just been released from prison, but prayed for God to help them speak with great boldness. The next verse says, “After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the world of God boldly.” (Acts 4:31)
In the very next chapter, we find them arrested again for sharing the gospel. But God sent an angel in the night to lead them out and direct them to go in the temple courts and tell the people the good news of Jesus. Now consider this – they’ve been arrested twice. The second time, an angel led them out and told them to go and do the very thing that caused their arrests.
The next morning when the elders gathered together and sent for the men in jail, they discovered the jail doors locked and no one inside. When the apostles were discovered at the temple, the rulers seized them once more.
This time the priests and teachers of the law were out for blood. However, a well-respected Pharisee named Gamaliel made a convincing argument that if the apostle’s purpose was from man, it would eventually fizzle out. But if their purpose was from God, it could never be stopped. So the chief priests and rulers flogged and released the men. Here’s the part that got me. After the disciples were flogged, “The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.” They REJOICED! These men had been arrested again and again and were severely beaten, but rejoiced. When released they were told not to speak in the name of Jesus. But do you think they stopped?
“Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.” Acts 5:42
Let’s take a closer look at that last verse. First, the apostles have just been flogged. Flogging wasn’t like a spanking; it was much more brutal. After the flogging, they were told not to talk about Jesus anymore. But they did it anyway – day after day. Not once. Not twice. Continually! The verse says they never stopped.
If I was flogged for talking about Jesus, IF (and that’s a very big if) I was bold enough to speak about Him again, I’m sure I would be secretive about it. But the apostles did it in the temple courts where everyone could see. But there’s more. They also went from house to house! They continually shared the good news of Jesus. When God answers a prayer, He goes all out. They prayed for boldness, and they certainly got it.
There are two huge lessons that stand out to me in this story. First, when you pray for boldness in Jesus name to further the kingdom of Christ in any way, God will answer in a big way. Then, as Gamaliel said, “But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men: you will only find yourself fighting against God.” (Acts 5:39) If God is in it, there is no stopping it.
Do you need a little boldness to accomplish what God has put in your heart to do? Just pray and ask. You just might be amazed at what God can do through you.
