“And now, Lord, observe their threats and grant to Your bond servants [full freedom] to declare your message fearlessly, while You stretch out Your hand to cure and to perform signs and wonders through the authority and the power of the name of Your holy Child and Servant Jesus.” Acts 4:29-30 (Amplified)
Wherever you look in the world today, you can always be sure that the right to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ is under attack. It is increasingly becoming apparent to us as Christians that we are all now living on the frontline and would be required to stand up for and defend our faith. The challenge in the progressive world is to counter the devil’s attempt to intimidate us through secularism and anti-God thoughts while in the more challenging areas of the world the threat of violence is never far away and our brethren are constantly being asked to pay for their conviction with their blood. So, how do we advance the work of the kingdom under such difficult conditions?
It is comforting to know that Jesus has already assured us of victory over all obstacles because He has declared, “I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Matt 16:18 So, He does not expect us to cave in to difficulties, but to resist and overcome them and keep moving on. When the disciples encountered fierce opposition and threats to their lives, their response set a model or precedence as to how we shall tackle and overcome opposition, whatever its virulence or form.
First, we are to signal our defiance and contempt for such restrictions as well as our determination to carry on preaching the Gospel by recognising the fact that we are God’s bondservants. This means that not preaching the Gospel is not an option for us irrespective of the devil’s antics. We are under obligation to preach and preach we shall with God’s help. Full stop.
Second, we are to deploy the greatest power available to man – earnest prayer, and ask for full freedom to declare God’s message fearlessly and without let or hindrance.
Third, we are to ask God to stretch out His hand to cure, restore and to perform signs and wonders and thus confirm His message through us. While we can argue about theology, there can be no arguments when God steps on the scene and confirms the preaching of His word for all to see. You simply cannot argue with palpable facts.
Then we need to believe that we have received what we asked for and boldly preach the good news of God’s salvation through Jesus Christ and we shall see signs and wonders following. However, as Jesus enjoined, we are to be as gentle as doves and as wise as serpents in a dangerous world, so that God can use us to the maximum and achieve the improbable through us. God might also choose to lead us in a different way to that to which we are accustomed. So, we should be open to His leading. Where He wants us to stand and fight, then we must and where He wants us to flee, let us not delay for He is Omniscient and knows best. But even as we flee, let us continue sharing the Gospel and we will relive the book of Acts in our time. God bless.
Prayer:
Lord, the best answer to silence the questionings and disputations of our detractors is to see you move in power through us. Do more of this in our lives so that the world might know that we serve a living God and as a result join us in serving you. Amen.