Devotion/ Spirit empowered boldness

Peter and John: bold to witness

After Jesus ascended into heaven, his followers were responsible for telling others about his great sacrifice.

One day Peter and John met a man who was crippled from birth. Each day he sat in the street begging for money. When Peter and John approached him, Peter said: “Silver or gold I don’t have. But what I do have I will give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk” (Acts 3:6). Immediately the man began walking and jumping in thanks to God.

Peter and John: bold against persecution

Not everyone thought this was wonderful. Men of the Jewish council did not agree that it was Jesus who healed the man. They sent the temple guard to arrest the disciples and put them in jail. The next morning the elders met to decide what to do with the two apostles. They asked them, “By what power or by what name do you do this?” (3:7).

Peter answered them, “It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed” (3:10).

This angered the teachers even more. They hated Jesus and wanted to destroy all his followers. Finally they called the apostles back into the chambers and commanded them not to speak or preach in the name of Jesus. Then they released Peter and John.

Peter and John: bold obey God

The two went right to their friends and shared with them what they were told by the leaders of the Jewish council. The Bible says that, after they prayed, they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the Word of God boldly.

Did they do as they were ordered? No. God told them to spread his word and they were not about to stop. Not only did they keep teaching, they did it more boldly!

Every Christian: body in the power of the Holy Spirit

You are filled with the Holy Spirit to the same degree as the apostles.

The Holy Spirit lives in everyone who believes that Jesus died on the cross and rose in victory. We are filled with the Spirit just like Peter and John. The Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, 2 Timothy 1:7 tells us, but gives us power….

Like the apostles, we can speak the Word of God boldly because the Holy Spirit lives in us as well. We can be bold and strong in sharing the important message of Jesus’ love for the world.

By Reynold R. Kremer