Gospel in a Minute
After being threatened and commanded to keep quiet about Jesus, the disciples met for prayer.
And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word. 30 Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness. Acts 4:29-31 (NLT) Principle: Pray for boldness to preach the gospel.
When we face threats and intimidation, it is time to pray for even more courage and boldness.
Someone once said that there are no “closed” countries, only intimidated disciples. What if those first believers had been shut down? What if they had gone “underground”? We don’t know how the Spirit would have handled that, but thankfully they refused to buckle to pressure. Their boldness eventually cost almost all of them their lives. Jesus knew this would happen, but he called them to be his witnesses nevertheless. He is calling you and me as well. Will we be faithful to this challenge? We can start by praying for boldness to preach the gospel, ask for and receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit, and then be about it. The world is waiting.
