Acts 4:23-31, Peter and Others Pray for Courage

²³As soon as Peter and John had been set free, they went back and told the others everything that the chief priests and the leaders had said to them. ²⁴When the rest of the Lord's followers heard this, they prayed together and said:

   Master, you created heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. ²⁵And by the Holy Spirit you spoke to our ancestor David. He was your servant, and you told him to say:

   "Why are all the Gentiles so furious? Why do people make foolish plans?  ²⁶The kings of earth prepare for war, and the rulers join together  against the Lord and his Messiah."

    ²⁷Here in Jerusalem, Herod and Pontius Pilate got together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel. Then they turned against your holy Servant  Jesus, your chosen Messiah. ²⁸They did what you in your power and wisdom had already decided would happen. ²⁹Lord, listen to their threats! We are your servants. So make us brave enough to speak your message. ³⁰Show your mighty power, as we heal people and work miracles and wonders in the name of your holy Servant Jesus. ³¹After they had prayed, the meeting place shook. They were all

 filled with the Holy Spirit and bravely spoke God's message.


We have a couple of important lessons here but I'll begin with the one from the last verse. After they prayed "They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and bravely spoke God's message".


There are only a couple of ways to understand this The most obvious understanding is that many who had been filled with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost were now filled once again. The clear implication being, that the filling of the Holy Spirit comes and goes. We have the possibility that this was an entire new group of believers that had not yet been filled...which is unlikely. Plus...it says "all" were filled and Peter was there...who we know was filled with the Holy Spirit only recently when he testified before the elders.


We know, the importance of this is it highlights our need to maintain a constant intimacy with God to ensure His filling. We cannot assume...from one moment to the next...that we lay any claim to the Spirit's continued power and filling. It's probably a moment-by-moment thing. You and I can agree our need is virtually constant but practically, we never know when we will be in need of God's power. the best response is to stay "prayed up".


Don't be caught without it...


The other lesson is our need to realize how frightening this is. Their prayer was "make us brave enough to speak your message". The pressure is constantly on. We never know when the demand to speak God's message will arise. People who think it's easy haven't done much of it...at least with a hostile audience. I can tell the difference between preaching boldly in church on Sunday and speaking boldly at work on Monday.


Will we be faithful? Only to the degree we depend on God for confidence and the Holy Spirit for power.


Live boldly out there today...