Acts: A 14-Day Devotional For MenSample

Spirit-Filled Boldness
Acts 4:23–31

In the United States, we have a love affair with safety. We collectively spend millions of dollars each year on home security systems to protect our living spaces. Many of us carry firearms that provide a sense of personal security. We look for the neighborhoods with the lowest crime rates and the cars with the highest safety ratings. Safety is *the* priority. 

Who can blame us? What’s so great about danger—coming home to a burglary, careening toward another car—especially if you can prevent it?

What makes Acts 4 so interesting is that the first followers of Jesus found themselves in just those kinds of gut-wrenching, uncontrollable situations that everyone tries to avoid. It probably never occurs to us that Christ’s disciples had lived ordinary, quiet lives up until that point. Some even had families (1 Cor. 9:5). Now, for the first time, they were drawing attention to themselves. Instead of being good citizens, they were antagonizing the authorities and were being beaten and thrown into jail. But as they saw it, they were simply living in obedience to God. 

Notice their response to what must have been a confusing and frightening dilemma. They did not complain, protest, or curl up in a ball of self-preservation. Rather, they prayed that God would continue to boldly work through them so that his mission could move forward. Since this Spirit-filled boldness was what led to their friends being put into custody in the first place, you might think they would tone down this type of praying, but that’s not what we see. They don’t seem to be thinking about themselves at all. Instead, they are okay with the pain that is part of helping to bring about God’s plan. 

Jesus himself repeatedly, deliberately, risked his safety during his ministry, and finally endured torture and death. He did so for the sake of “the joy that was set before him” (Heb. 12:2), the salvation of God’s elect from every tribe, tongue, and nation (Rev. 7:9). The Christians who continue his mission in Acts 4 are able to pray for the same boldness because they have had a glimpse of the same joy. 

Boldly living for God and others will oftentimes place you on a collision course with those who oppose him. But the staggering irony of Christianity is that if you truly want to know life, you have to be willing to lay it down (Matt. 16:25). 

Are you willing to have true life? —Justin S. Holcomb