Acts 4:13, 23-24, 29-31 NIV
When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.
On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.
Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
Psalm 118:5-6 NIV
When hard pressed, I cried to the LORD;
he brought me into a spacious place.
The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?
Though we are far removed from the exilic circumstances of God’s people in Isaiah’s time, God’s words in Isaiah still pertain to us today. Like Peter and John and other servants of the Lord who came before us, we are also to place all of our confidence in God, asking in prayer for Spirit empowered boldness to share Jesus Christ with others, even if it means we will face opposition at times. Let’s pray that the words above in Psalm 118 will be our testimony and lived experience as God’s servants more and more.
Prayer: O Lord, you are with us; we will not be afraid. We praise you for wonderfully rescuing us and making us your faithful servants in Christ. Enable us even more to speak your Word boldly and share Christ with others today. In Jesus’ name, amen.
In worship and prayer, let’s sing “Always” from Kristian Stanfill (click here).
– JLiu
