Spirit-filled and courageous leaders always capture my attention. The boldness and confidence of these leaders to effectively and faithfully witness for the cause of Christ is absolutely inspiring to me. No matter what comes against them, these men and women of faith stay focused on the Truth and never waiver.
During his ministry on earth, Jesus promised to develop this kind of leader—ones who rested in the power of the Holy Spirit—to keep them focused despite their personal weaknesses. Peter and John demonstrated this type of Spirit-led leadership which should not surprised us, because Jesus promised to send the Helper (Acts 1:5).
Peter and John started out their faith journey with Jesus by actually having a default state of fear. They struggled to remain faithful to Jesus; the disciples abandoned him at the cross and hid after his death. This fear continued until the Spirit of God rested like tongues of fire upon them. Pentecost was a day of change. Courage took down fear!
In our passage today, Peter and John are being questioned by the Sanhedrin council, because a lame man—sitting outside the Temple begging for money—experienced healing; he began leaping and praising God (Acts 3:7-8). Peter and John were asked by the Sanhedrin to be silent; no more conversation about the saving grace of Jesus. However, Peter’s response is, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him?”
Everyday in this fallen world we have a similar decision to make; who will have the highest authority over our lives. God, the fallen world, or our flesh? Will we ask God for more courage and continue to be a mouthpiece of Truth for the Lord? Or, will we cower in fear, step back, and allow evil to be the loudest voice to the nation? The battle with evil is real! Evil is anything that diminishes life with the Lord by rejecting the Truth of God’s Word. Make sure you listen to the Voice of Truth, because some leaders lie to promote their power.
Peter, John, and the rest of the disciples chose to pray and ask God to increase their courage. Please note they did not ask God to remove the challenges or to stop the political pressure from the Romans or the religious leaders. Instead, they wanted God to change and equip them to champion the challenges. Inspiring leadership! Amen?
Acts 4:13-31 NLT
13 The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus. 14 But since they could see the man who had been healed standing right there among them, there was nothing the council could say. 15 So they ordered Peter and John out of the council chamber [Sanhedrin] and conferred among themselves.
16 “What should we do with these men?” they asked each other. “We can’t deny that they have performed a miraculous sign, and everybody in Jerusalem knows about it. 17 But to keep them from spreading their propaganda any further, we must warn them not to speak to anyone in Jesus’ name again.” 18 So they called the apostles back in and commanded them never again to speak or teach in the name of Jesus.
19 But Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? 20 We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.”
21 The council then threatened them further, but they finally let them go because they didn’t know how to punish them without starting a riot. For everyone was praising God 22 for this miraculous sign—the healing of a man who had been lame for more than forty years.
The Believers Pray for Courage
23 As soon as they were freed, Peter and John returned to the other believers and told them what the leading priests and elders had said. 24 When they heard the report, all the believers lifted their voices together in prayer to God: “O Sovereign Lord, Creator of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them— 25 you spoke long ago by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant, saying,
‘Why were the nations so angry?
Why did they waste their time with futile plans?
26
The kings of the earth prepared for battle;
the rulers gathered together
against the Lord
and against his Messiah.’[Anointed One—the Christ]
27 “In fact, this has happened here in this very city! For Herod Antipas, Pontius Pilate the governor, the Gentiles, and the people of Israel were all united against Jesus, your holy servant, whom you anointed. 28 But everything they did was determined beforehand according to your will. 29 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.
Prayer: Lord, there is so much going on in our world right now; things that seek to rob us of the peace you died to provide. Your peace is not of this world; it’s supernatural to calm the heart. Thank you for the peace you give—a peace the world cannot taste or understand. Believers can have your peace right now as we face a tropical storm, because you have promised to be with us and protect us. We can have your peace right now in the face of political rhetoric, because we know your Voice and we refuse to follow evil. Help us to take a deep breath and reach for you, Lord! And, while we reach for you, we pray for unbelievers to want you, be willing to turn from sin, and enjoy your peace, as well. In Jesus’ name.