Holy Spirit Bold Faith
Notes
Transcript
Bold things are memorable, bold things get noticed… bold food, bold ideas, bold personalities, bold speeches, bold leadership, bold action, bold lifestyles.
People try to be trendy… to go viral… a flash in the pan… here today but quickly gone.
Bold Fashion and style… making a creative statement by how you dress.
My style was bold when I was out of High School.
Some people’s boldness is motivated by an unhealthy desire for affirmation, a wanting for attention.
We want to be bold about the right things… things that are sustainable beyond our lifespan. An eternal legacy that will never fizzle out.
When we are empowered by the Holy Spirit, Jesus will boldly stand out because the Holy Spirit will always glorify Jesus.
Do we believe that Jesus is the only way to real transformation, real healing, and genuine salvation?
The message of the resurrection power of Jesus Christ must consume us as believers. The Holy Spirit will give us the boldness to declare that singular message of hope that our world needs to see and hear.
Not everyone will approve or agree with that message but our goal as believers isn’t to play it safe but to be bold about Jesus. Speak it with great conviction, consistency and great boldness under the influence of the Holy Spirit.
Peter and John did not play it safe, there relationship with Jesus was everything.
We see throughout the book of Acts that when they were empowered by the Holy Spirit, it was natural to talk about Jesus with unapologetic boldness.
After they were lectured by the Sanhedrin for talking about Jesus, in vs. 23 Peter and John gave their report to the church. This was there response…
23 When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, 25 who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit,
“ ‘Why did the Gentiles rage,
and the peoples plot in vain?
26 The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers were gathered together,
against the Lord and against his Anointed’—
27 for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. 29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.
PRAY
They started off worshipping God by acknowledging HIS power and HIS plans.
They prayed for boldness to declare the resurrection power of Jesus Christ
They prayed that God would confirm HIS message through signs and wonders and miracles.
And we see that God honored their prayer and filled them with the Holy Spirit.
God ALWAYS has complete control even when we encounter opposition.
God ALWAYS has complete control even when we encounter opposition.
Our struggle is not against people but the enemy will use people to oppose the gospel when it is declared.
If the Gospel is not declared we will never be a threat to the enemy.
Bold faith requires a bold declaration of our faith.
People will will try to distract us, they will try to silence us, intimidate us.
When the church is empowered by the Holy Spirit, our bold witness for the resurrection power of Jesus Christ can never be quenched.
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
We are still the church on Jesus’ mission. We can so easily get distracted because our world is full of distractions.
We cannot underestimate the power of prayer and praise.
We cannot underestimate the power of prayer and praise.
Those are the 2 things that will keep us focused on our mission as followers of Jesus.
Paul reminds us…
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Prayer and Praise will bring us back to Jesus regardless of the opposition.
When these new believers from the early church heard about the opposition that Peter and John encountered they responded with Praise and Prayer.
They did not question God’s ways or fear the pain that would come next.
They did not pray that God would get rid of this persecution.
No, they responded by exalting the Lord God almighty.
24 And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them,
God, you are sovereign… you have it all preplanned and YOUR plans are always good. Father, if you can make the heavens and the earth the sea and all the living creatures then I can’t help but acknowledge that ALL your ways are higher then my ways.
Lord, we know that we will be going through a difficult season and for some reason, YOU choose us to go through this but I know that standing for Jesus is always worth it no matter what happens.
These days were talked about in the Old Testament…
Acts 4:25–28 (ESV)
25 who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit,
“‘Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain?
26 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed’—
27 for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.
If God the Father had Jesus, HIS Son to suffer, who am I to think that I’m exempt from suffering.
All of this was your predestined plan and it was so much better then my plans could ever come up with.
They praised God and then they prayed. They didn’t pray for comfort, they didn’t pray for an easy life, they didn’t pray for peace, that everyone would get along.
No, instead they prayed that they would be found faithful, just like Jesus as HE suffered, as HE faced pain and loneliness. They asked the Lord to help them to remain faithful… to remain steadfast in the midst of persecution…
29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness,
They prayed for boldness to speak God’s Word.
They prayed for boldness to speak God’s Word.
They prayed that the Holy Spirit would give them the courage to speak God’s word with boldness.
When we live in the resurrection power of Jesus Christ and declare HIS truth with bold faith, God’s power will never disappoint.
30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
They prayed that God would confirm HIS message through signs, wonders and miracles.
They prayed that God would confirm HIS message through signs, wonders and miracles.
When we pray that the Holy Spirit will enable us to boldly declare HIS Word God will confirm HIS Word.
Bold faith believing that God will show up in power through healing, through miracles, and through signs and wonders.
Then things began to shake… Acts 4:31
31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.
God will always honor our prayers when we pray in alignment with HIS will.
God will always honor our prayers when we pray in alignment with HIS will.
How do we know what God’s will is? I think so often we complicate it with a bad over-americanized theology. We think that when Life is good, easy, comfortable, no conflict, no issues then I am blessed and I am in the perfect will of God.
God’s Peace and Joy are not based on our present circumstances they are based on knowing God and loving God and living to please God.
Jesus gave us the perfect example of what that looks like to know the will of God and obey the will of God.
It has nothing to do with the fleeting comforts of this world, those can often distract us from living out God’s will.
After they prayed, God shook the place that they were staying at.
31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.
God honored there prayer by filling them with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the work of God with boldness.
When they prayed the place was shaken.
The writer of Hebrews talks about a Kingdom that cannot be shaken.
26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” 27 This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.
Being shaken is a sign of the all-transforming power of God’s word, so that at the end “what is shaken” and thus the created and visible world — earth and heaven — is removed so that “what cannot be shaken” God’s kingdom, may endure forever.
God wants to shake some things up in our life so that we can boldly live out God’s forever kingdom. Sometimes the shaking is a reminder that our own comfort, conflicts, crisis, are only temporary.
God is still shaking things up in order to shift the sand and expose the bedrock underneath.
God’s kingdom cannot be shaken.
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
We don’t have to worry… we don’t have to live in fear anymore. Just seek first God’s Kingdom and HIS righteousness.
TAKE AWAY
Pray that God will give us that bold faith to love, live, and to declare Jesus with boldness.
Pray that as a church, we welcome God’s shaking so we can pursue those things that remain.
Pray that our love for Jesus far outshines our love for the comforts of this world.