Message: In Acts 4 Peter and John were taken
before the priests for questioning about the paralyzed man that was healed. They
asked them “under what power, or under what name” this man was healed. They
wanted to punish them in the hopes of putting a stop to the spread of the gospel
but they recognized that the people believed and they themselves knew that the
healing was undeniable. The healed man was standing right there with them and
everybody knew him. I find it sad that even though the priests recognized that
something beyond the power of man was happening, but they were not willing to
let go of their earthly position and the privileges that came with their
status. Instead they chose to threaten Peter and John in the hopes of slowing
down the spread of the gospel. Peter warned them that their obedience to God
was higher than their obedience to any priest or governor. What really caught
my attention here is that when they left, Peter prayed and it wasn’t the kind
of prayer you would expect. He wasn’t praying for favor, or for deliverance of
this hardship. He prayed for more boldness to continue on doing the will of God
and the work of the father. He didn’t look at it as an obstacle that needed to
be removed in order for him to obey. He accepted the challenge exactly as it
was and asked God to give him what he needed to continue.
Command: Accept the circumstances and ask God
for empowerment.
Promise: God is faithful to give us exactly
what we need when we walk in obedience.
Warning: When we do the will of God, people
and circumstances will try to disable or discourage us.
Application: This chapter encouraged me so much
when I saw the way Peter prayed. He accepted the circumstances exactly the way
they were, and he didn’t blame anyone or ask God to change them in order to make
his life easier. This reminded me of all of the things in my life that I have
been praying so fervently for God to change, but it challenged my motives for
praying for the change of other people. I should pray for change for their own
benefit, but as for making my own life easier or better, this is something I
absolutely have to ask God to change in me. My obedience to God can’t have any
dependence on what someone else is or isn’t doing, and if there are hinderances
or obstacles, my prayer is that God would give me the boldness, endurance,
wisdom and motivation to push through them in order to obey God. Peter did not
see himself as a victim, and he didn’t feel sorry for himself or blame the men
who were trying to oppress him. Truly they were not after Peter personally,
they had an agenda to stop the spread of the gospel. Peter recognized this and
he knew that God would empower him to do what he needed to do.
