TIME WITH GOD'S WORD - “MANAGING FEAR”
Acts 4:23-31
On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. "Sovereign Lord," they said, "you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: 'Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One.' Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus." 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.

THOUGHTS FOR TODAY:
Peter and John had just returned from their confrontation with the Sanhedrin. I'm sure they were feeling not a small amount of fear. Sometimes when we read the Bible we forget these were real men with human emotion. I've often thought that had I just experienced a great and dramatic miracle (as the Lord had performed by healing the cripple), I would not be fearful anymore. My life would change and I would not see things in the same way.

Peter and John had experienced many miracles in their lives (walking on water, feeding five thousand, blind with sight restored, etc.) -- and were changed men because of it. Yet they were still justifiably concerned about the threats made by the chief priests and elders. I'm like this as well. I see God perform miracles in my life, yet I am still concerned about some other perceived threat. So, how did Peter and John deal with this "real" threat against their lives? Let's look at their practical example:

1. As soon as they were released by the chief priests and elders they went back to their people. They didn't go to non-believers or isolate themselves. The place to be is with your people -- other believers.

2. They reported all they had experienced. They didn't hold anything back, they didn't exaggerate the threat or minimize it -- they shared it.

3. Their shared concern drove them to "raise their voices together in prayer." This didn't just affect Peter and John, all believers were being threatened.

4. They reminded themselves of who God is (which puts things in the proper perspective -- He is in control). They realized that Herod and Pilate "did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen."

5. They asked for deliverance from the threat: "Now, Lord, consider their threat." Having just acknowledged the sovereign nature of God, they're really saying, "You are the great and mighty Lord, and these guys are messing with us -- your servants -- who are just trying to do what you told us to do. Please consider this situation."

6. They ask to be enabled. Their focus becomes not on what they want God to do to others, but on what they want God to do through them ("speak your word with great boldness"), and around them ("heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus").

What happens next? God answers their prayer in dramatic fashion: "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." The sequence is important -- after they prayed -- then all were filled with the Holy Spirit and all spoke the word of God boldly. Everyone. Not just Peter and John, but everyone. The value of following Peter and John's example extends to everyone as well.

QUESTIONS TO PONDER:
Have you ever felt or been threatened with bodily harm because of your faith or witness for Jesus? What would your first reaction be? Would you follow Peter and John's example? Why or why not?

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