Dave's Diary

Daily Readings: Acts 4 and Psalm 72

We saw yesterday how courageous Peter became once filled with the Holy Spirit, and how willing he was to risk everything for Jesus. That theme continues today.

Hauled before the same religious authorities who had so recently put Jesus to death, Peter and John refused to be silenced. Instead they boldly declared: “It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.” (v.10)

What were the keys to the great courage of these “unschooled, ordinary men” (v.13)? Well, even the religious authorities realised that the first key was that they “had been with Jesus” (v.13). I love the way the Good News Translation says, “they had been companions of Jesus“. And while the authorities thought of this in the past tense, we know that they were still companions of Jesus because He now lived in them by the Holy Spirit.

And that’s the second key: They were “full of the Holy Spirit”. Being full of the Spirit enabled them to walk in moment-by-moment fellowship with Jesus and find courage in His companionship with them. Jesus was still with them by the Spirit, just as He had promised He would be.

And thirdly, when the threats of the powerful religious men frightened them, they turned to the power of corporate prayer. They were absolutely resilient in their courage because of their commitment to return to drink from the well of Living Water through means of prayer whenever that courage was under threat. And so it was that, “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.” (v.31).

Life application: Take time to ask God to show you someone to whom He is calling you to witness today. In prayerful companionship with Jesus, imagine what you will say to them and let Jesus guide your imagination until you feel settled in your spirit. Then pray for an open door to speak to them, and for the infilling of the Holy Spirit and the courage to speak confidently, comfortably and naturally. And then go out and follow the Spirit’s leading.