Filled

Sunday, May 18^th 2025

Acts: 4:23-31

Introduction

The Holy Spirit Empowers Me Through Prayer to be Bold

1. Boldness to Move Forward

“When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them.” 

We see in Scripture that the Holy Spirit did not remove the church from a state of being persecuted as a solution to their prayers. However, the Spirit did not leave them to suffer idly.

The Spirit gave them—and gives to us—the strength to endure hardship and opposition with grace and courage. The Holy Spirit comes alongside us to equip us with what we’ll need to complete the work he has set before us.

"To be right with God has often meant to be in trouble with men." AW Tozer

1. Boldness to Pray

And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit,

“‘Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed’

for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.”

One of the great prayers of the New Testament! Persecution will always lead to prayer!

"Pray for great things, expect great things, work for great things, but above all—pray." RA Torrey

Division in the church always hinders prayer and robs the church of spiritual power.

The Holy Spirit emboldens believers to speak and act with courage. If we lack boldness to witness, we need only ask God for his help.

• Boldness to Speak

And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.”

 Notice that they did not pray for the persecution to cease. They prayed for the courage to endure it! They asked for power and for boldness to speak. That early church was something different, friend, from the church of our day.

 The difference between boldness and courage – the ability to speak!

 “…and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.” Ephesians 6:19.20

 Conclusion