Speak God's Word With Boldness

[Christsfreeservant]

Peter and John were arrested and put in jail for teaching the people about Jesus Christ and concerning his death and resurrection. The next day they were brought before a Council and questioned about the healing of a man who was lame from birth, and Peter took this opportunity, as he was filled with the Holy Spirit, to state that the man was healed by the name of Jesus who they had crucified, who God had raised from the dead, who was the Christ, and who was the Savior of the world.

So, the Council dismissed them and decided among themselves that they would order the apostles not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But when Peter and John heard this, they responded to them by saying that they could not stop speaking about what they had seen and heard, i.e. they could not stop sharing the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ with the people for their salvation from sin and eternal life with God. And so the Council let them go, but only after they had threatened them further.

“When they had been released, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God with one accord and said, ‘O Lord, it is You who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that is in them, who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David Your servant, said,​

​

“Why did the Gentiles rage,​

And the peoples devise futile things?​

The kings of the earth took their stand,​

And the rulers were gathered together​

Against the Lord and against His Christ.”​

​

“’For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur. And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence, while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.’ And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.” (Acts 4:23-31 NASB’95)​

Jesus Christ, when he lived on this earth, told us that if we follow him with our lives that we will be hated and persecuted as he was hated and persecuted. He said that how he was treated so would we be treated, too, if we are his followers who are walking in his ways and in his truth, and who are doing what he commands that we must do as his followers. He promised us that we would have enemies, and that we would be brought before the courts, but that we would be given the words to say by the Holy Spirit.

[Matthew 5:10-12; Matthew 10:16-25,34-39; Matthew 24:9-14; Luke 6:22-23; Luke 12:49-53; Luke 21:12-17; John 15:18-21]

But our enemies have no power over God and his work. They can only do as much as what God allows, and that God allows for a purpose (example the book of Job). They can only persecute us and mistreat us and threaten us if God allows it, and he will always set limits on what they can do. And God uses these trials and tribulations in our lives to test our faith and to strengthen us in our walks of faith in obedience to our Lord. Through our trials we learn perseverance and we grow to maturity in our walks of faith.

So, even if it appears as though the enemy is winning, which is what it looked like when they hung Jesus on that cross to die, we can find some comfort in the fact that Jesus’ death on that cross provided the way for us to be delivered out of our slavery (addiction) to sin so that we will now serve the Lord in walks of surrender and obedience to him. And because Jesus died we can now die with him to sin, and because he rose from the dead in victory over sin we can live in him in victory over sin in holy living.

And God will allow suffering in our lives to make us into the people of God who he wants us to be to be used for his glory. If I had not gone through all the suffering I went through in my life, I would not have been prepared for what these last 21 years of ministry were going to cost me, and I would not have had the strength to withstand all the trials and tribulations that have been part of this ministry, and I would not have had the endurance to learn new things and to keep pressing forward in sickness and in health.

So, the devil, and our enemies, may be able to hurt us, yes, and they may be allowed to kill us physically, yes, but they can only hurt us spiritually if we let them. And if they kill us, word may get out about it, and that may mean the spreading of the gospel message even further. Many of the sufferings that I had were what brought me to this place of total surrender to the will of God for my life to the point to where I would follow Jesus where he takes me even if everyone turns against me and deserts me. I needed that!

And if we are being persecuted, we can call out to God, and we can pray for even greater boldness to keep speaking the truth of God’s Word regardless of how much opposition we receive, in return. We must trust the Lord through it all and not let our enemies and our persecutors get the best of us. We must not yield to our circumstances, but we must yield to the will of God for our lives despite our circumstances. For God is in control and he has a plan and a purpose for everything he brings into our lives. So trust Him.

[Revelation 6:9-11; Revelation 7:9-17; Revelation 11:1-3; Revelation 12:17; Revelation 13:1-18; Revelation 14:1-13]

As the Deer

By Martin J. Nystrom
Based off Psalm 42:1

As the deer panteth for the water
So my soul longeth after You
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship You

You alone are my strength, my shield
To You alone may my spirit yield
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship You

Caution: This link may contain ads

Speak God’s Word With Boldness
An Original Work / March 15, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love