SCRIPTURE: Acts 4
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
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. [Acts 4:13] God is turning the world upside down through ordinary people. His kingdom comes through humble servants, starting with Jesus and then with His followers. God delights in empowering the weak, and deflating the strong.
I love this passage. Two ordinary, unschooled men standing up to the power, authority and knowledge of the Sanhedrin (highest ruling body of the Jews). They are filled with everything but God; Peter and John are filled with nothing but God. Filled with the Spirit, they become bold, they face their opposition with courage, with Jesus. Jailed and threatened, they do not back down. After being released they do not pray for protection or safety or peace, they pray for more boldness and power.
How do we explain this? These men have been with Jesus! They have experienced God through Jesus. They have been transformed by the Spirit of Jesus. They are on fire for the Lord, and He is burning in and through them. They are not holding back, cowering in fear; they are stepping up and stepping out, praying for greater opportunity, greater boldness, great power.
Compare this with our own prayers. Do we pray for comfort, safety, protection, or for greater boldness, power and opportunity? Do we pray for a greater anointing of the Spirit of Jesus, that we may shine even brighter for Him? Instead of taking on the gates of hell, we hide behind our own gates, singing boldly ‘I Love To Tell the Story’ in our holy huddles on Sunday morning, then refusing to speak or share because people might not accept us. Where’s the fire, where’s the boldness, where’s the desire to shine brightly for Jesus?
Please note, you do not need to be a gifted, well-known or educated person. You can be unschooled, ordinary! So long as you have been with Jesus. The more we spend time with Him one-on-one, the more devoted we are to living with and for Jesus, He will take our ‘ordinary’ and make it extraordinary. Suddenly our five loaves and two fish will feed multitudes. As Jesus-followers, let’s start praying for this boldness.
PRAYER:
Lord, fill me we Your humility, Your strength, Your courage. Empower my lips and hands for You!
Once again God uses ordinary people to proclaim the good news. God uses people of His choosing His wonders to fulfill. God equips His servants with what they need whether it be Peter and Paul or a Moses. The Spirit was and still is mightily at work. As Moses was prepared for kingdom service by living in the palaces and also taking care of the sheep, as Peter was prepapred for ministry by being a Christ follower, so too I can be. By His power, through His Spirit and by spending time with God, He will equip and touch my lips so that I do speak the words which need to be said and do the activities which need to be done. Help me daily Lord to stand up for You. Thank You for the ‘tent of meeting’ times so I am able to do the very things You desire of me. As the people saw Your presence when Moses came from his meetings with You – may others see Your indwelling in me.
Gracious God, my heart renew,
Make my spirit right and true;
Cast me not away from Thee,
Let Thy Spirit dwell in me;
Thy salvation’s joy impart,
Steadfast make my willing heart.
Sinners then shall learn from me
And return, O God, to Thee;
Savior, all my guilt remove,
And my tongue shall sing Thy love;
Touch my silent lips, O Lord,
And my mouth shall praise accord.