Scripture
When they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and discovered that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they were amazed and recognized these men had been with Jesus.
Acts 4:13 NET
Observation
The religious leaders took notice! Peter and John were a pair of regular guys. They acknowledged that they had been with Jesus. But something was different!
They were preaching with boldness!
What changed? If you turn to the left in your Bible, you’ll find that these same guys, earlier in the story, were bumbling bafoons. They were running scared. Bold would have been the last word someone used to describe them.
The change was the Holy Spirit.
The promised Holy Spirit empowered them to walk in boldness! The same Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the grave…that moved on the water in Genesis 1…that healed the sick.
That was/is the difference!
Application
Jesus said that He would send the Holy Spirit. You can’t live for God without being empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Have you ever asked the Lord to empower you through the Holy Spirit?
Later in this chapter, the Apostles and other Christians pray for boldness. The Word says the walls shook and they were filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak the Word of God in boldness.
When was the last time you prayed for boldness? When was the last time you prayed for the Lord to empower you for His work?
Prayer
Lord, I know that I can’t live for You on my own. Fill me with the power of the Holy Spirit to live for You in boldness!
Peace
Todd