Have you tried sharing your faith in Jesus with anyone lately? It is not an easy proposition. We live in a world that is often inimical to faith and non-material realities. Our world tells us that faith is a matter of personal preference. It says that it is arrogant and condescending to claim that your truth is better than anyone else's truth. In a world like this, where can the power to be a witness come from? I think Acts 4 gives 4 answers:
1. Power to be a witness comes through the Holy Spirit (verse 8). Peter's words were powerful because they were not his. They were given by God.
2. Power to be a witness comes through prayer. Verse 31 tells us that the church continued to speak the Word with boldness after they had spent time in prayer together.
3. Power to be a witness comes through good deeds, done in God's power. Peter and John are not punished by the Sanhedrin because of the miraculous work they did with the lame man. Their compassion was a testimony to God's power and love in their lives.
It is interesting to note one thing that did not lead to a powerful witness: education (verse 13). Now, I am not taking a stance against education. (I have 2 masters degrees after all). But formal education is not a requirement for being a powerful witness. The first church that I pastored in Carteret was founded by a ditch digger. According to church records, he was a man full of the Spirit, devoted to prayer and deeds of compassion. Even though he spoke limited English, these things made him a powerful witness.
Acts 4 encourages me to strive for the power and boldness that the Apostles had.
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