A healing no one can deny. A courtroom that can’t control the story. A prayer that shakes the room. We dive into Acts 4 and walk through the clash between ordinary believers and the highest religious council, where Peter and John—dismissed as untrained—answer with Spirit-given clarity and courage. Their message centers on Jesus Christ of Nazareth, crucified and raised, the cornerstone the builders rejected. The authorities demand silence, but the apostles refuse to trade obedience for safety, declaring they cannot stop speaking about what they have seen and heard.

From there, the scene shifts to one of the most stirring prayers in Scripture. The church gathers, anchors its voice in the Psalms, and asks not for rescue but for boldness to preach, along with God’s healing power and signs in Jesus’ name. The answer comes with force: the place shakes, everyone is freshly filled with the Holy Spirit, and the mission moves forward with renewed confidence. This isn’t bravado; it’s dependence, the kind that comes from being with Jesus and trusting the Spirit in the face of pressure.

Courage then turns into care. As revival draws people to stay in Jerusalem, the community opens its hands—no needy person among them. We highlight Barnabas as a living picture of encouragement through generosity, showing how a Spirit-filled church speaks truth, prays big, and meets needs. If you’ve ever felt underqualified, sidelined, or told to keep quiet about your faith, this chapter invites you to reimagine courage: rooted in Scripture, sustained by prayer, and proven in love.

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Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation (NLT).
Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.
Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.