* Today, Christian business owners are being threatened by an agenda to silence.

* They want total compliance with a secular agenda void of God.

* So what do we do?

* The disciples found themselves in the same boat.

* They were being persecuted, and Peter and John specifically were threatened that if they didn’t stop speaking in Christ’s name they would be punished.

* So how did they respond?

* Four Ways:

* 1) They focused on the power of God, not the size of their problem (vs 23-24).

* When you do this the problem becomes extremely small compared to the ossum power of the Almighty.

* 2) They drew strength from Scripture (vs 25-26).

* The stories of the Bible will be a great encouragement to you as you read.

* “Encourage” means to “make courageous.”

* 3) They saw God’s hand at work in the midst of it (vs 27-28).

* They looked beyond the problem to God being on the throne and in charge of what took place.

* They knew what the devil meant for evil God means for good.

* 4) They refused to bow before men (vs 29-30).

* They had no intention of stopping what they were doing, whatever the cost.

* They were willing to sacrifice everything, even their lives.

* So how did God respond? Verse 31 - the whole place was shaken!

* He answered their prayer and gave them the boldness they sought!

* Matthew Henry - “They were all filled with the Holy Ghost, more than ever; by which they were not only encouraged, but enabled to speak the word of God with boldness, and not to be afraid of the proud and haughty looks of men.”