 |
Acts 5: 41 (NIV)
The apostles left the Sanhedrin,
rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the
Name.
|
 |
| Something supernatural happens when Christians are so submitted to God’s will and his Spirit that they are willing to endure persecution – and even death – for his name’s sake.* |
 |
Can’t
you just see the apostles – those formerly timid followers of Jesus – leaving
their audience with the Sanhedrin, high-fiving and fist-bumping as they went?
Their observers must have found it puzzling that these men would be so
exuberant after having just been flogged for preaching the gospel.
We
know that we, too, should “count it
all joy,” but could we? Perhaps our
faith is strong enough to defy those
who persecute us. And we know we would never bow down to idols or deny Jesus;
but just how happy would we be to
suffer for our faith? I confess that I get whiney when I am merely inconvenienced!
What
makes these men different from you and me? Turn back a page to Acts chapter
four and read about Peter and John’s appearance before the Sanhedrin, the
Jewish legal authorities, who badly wanted to penalize them for preaching the
gospel but who were paralyzed by their fear of public opinion. When Peter and
John’s “people” heard their story, they “raised their voices together in prayer
to God.” (4: 24) Did they ask God to deliver them from those who were
conspiring against them? Did they ask him to strike down their enemies? No;
they said, “Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak
your word with great boldness.” (4: 29) And after they prayed, the room was
shaken, they were filled with the Holy Spirit and they spoke the word of God
boldly (4: 31).
Do
you wish to be transformed from a timid follower of Jesus to a bold proclaimer
of the gospel? Pray this same prayer for boldness. Pray that the Spirit will
shake your house and fill you up and enable you to speak boldly. Then you can
count yourself among those who rejoice when they have been found worthy of
suffering disgrace for the Name!
|
 |
| Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men and women. Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks.* |
No comments:
Post a Comment