March 16, 2014–Would you believe…MORE Boldness?

March 15, 2014 By

Day 6: Acts 4: 23-37

Ron and Nancy MillsI find myself in awe at the simplicity of faith demonstrated in the early church. We have simple men, not educated, being brought before rulers and authority figures, threatened, beaten, threatened some more. Yet they are able to patiently endure, and respond in such a bold manner that the authorities were at a loss as to how to respond! Then, after their suffering, they returned to the body of believers to report all that had been done.

What did they do, then? Did they modify their outreach program to make the gospel more palatable? Did they endeavour to alter the doctrinal statements to ensure so no one would be offended? No! They lifted up their voice, in UNITY to Almighty God. They honoured Him as Creator, remembered the prophecies about persecution, and acknowledged that regardless of all else, God was still in control!

Then they come to one of my favourite passages in the entire scriptures–pardon me while I quote it.

“And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, by stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.”

Did I read that right? Did they REALLY just ask for MORE boldness? When being threatened about their faith activities, they requested God to intervene–not to protect them–but to grant that He would give them more boldness, and to lift up the name of Jesus even further through healings, signs, and wonders in that marvelous name.  When they finished praying, Scripture records that the place was shaken, and “they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.”

Let me repeat that last part, it says they “spoke the word of God with boldness.” I want to bring your attention to that phrase. It has always been my opinion that the reason they were taken before the authorities was because they were speaking in boldness, certainly not fear! When they returned to their fellow believers and began to pray and ask God to grant them boldness–I thought THAT was bold! They requested an increase in what they were already doing, knowing fully well, it meant certain difficulties ahead.

Apparently God was pleased with their response, because He sent such a download of His presence that the physical building began to shake. That’s my interpretation. Some may say earthquake, but regardless, it was God-authored. This is another infilling of Holy Spirit. Some of these folks were at the first infilling. This passage says they were ALL filled with the Holy Ghost.

Can it be that one infilling may not be enough for us? Perhaps, from time to time, we need to be filled again, for the task at hand.

What was the result of that additional infilling? They spoke the word of God with boldness. Do you understand?

Q. What did they speak with boldness?   A. The word of God.  Now do you understand?

I believe we are looking at the passage in the Scriptures in which the prophetic unction was released to the early church to enable them not just to speak with boldness, and not just to walk in miracles, signs, and wonders, but now also to speak prophetically the word of God, with boldness, along with everything else God has given them.

That boldness implies a certainty in the saying. They KNEW that what they were speaking WAS the word of God.

This too is what we should be boldly praying for; that in spite of opposition, God would grant His servants, that we should speak boldly the word of God, and that He would stretch forth His hand to heal, and that signs, and wonders would be done in the holy name of Jesus.

Filed Under: Ron Mills

March 15, 2014–When you Speak in Jesus’ name…

March 15, 2014 By

Day 5: Acts 4:1-22

Darren & LydiaNow when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. (Acts 4:13-14)

I am certain that if you have been in charismatic circles long enough, you have heard this passage preached many times.

You know the story.  Peter and John are on their way to the temple when–bing, bang, boom–up rises a cripple from the ground when prayed for in the name of Jesus.  This simple declaration and prayer completely messes up the religious spirit in that place.  The leaders who just wanted a normal little church service now have to deal with some things.  Possibly they were bent over in pain not knowing how to proceed because of the mess the apostles had made.

A miracle had taken place.  This much was obvious.

Miracles and signs and wonders have a way of legitimizing the name of Jesus and the persons who preach in His name.  It is not about the person preaching, but about the Name. The person who is filled with the Spirit simply declares in the Name believing that things will take place and they do.

A lot of the times the message could seem hard to an audience.  People don’t want to hear about God’s grace or His mercy or how He creates from nothing, so He backs up the truth of what is being said with a sign and wonder.

When I get up to preach, I just open my mouth and speak.  I am not concerned if the audience before me likes what I am saying.  In fact many get up and walk out as I preach.  I find this funny because if they really knew me, they would like me.  I am a nice guy, but the words are too much for them.  It comes against their mindsets which are firm.  Many of them believe lies which have more power than God in their lives, so when confronted by the truth they run because the truth is too much for them.

People will tell you not to speak in that name.  They will tell you that you are too bold or you shouldn’t have said this or you should have been kinder with that, but the bottom line in our job as men and women of God is to say what God tells us to say.

The true preacher has a fear of God in them and will say what he/she says because they don’t want the people in front of them to walk away without knowing the truth.  There might be a little self-interest in this for the preacher.

The Lord often tells me to read Ezekiel 3:18, which says, “When I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways in order to save their life, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood.”

When such a word is in your heart, you preach because while you might not understand the full implication of what it means to have blood on your hands and for these souls to be lost for eternity, you certainly do not want to be responsible for it.

I know this is a tough word, but you just need to preach.  It is not that I don’t feel fear, but rather I fear God more.

So I pray for you today and ask God to strengthen you and empower you to speak even when you feel fear. I also pray that signs and wonders will follow you when you do speak in Jesus’ name.

(Darren Canning is a prophetic revivalist who travels throughout Canada and the United States.  He has seen revival break out in many places with healing, deliverance and signs and wonders following the preaching of God’s word.  Darren is married to Lydia and they have 4 handsome sons.  He also has two beautiful daughters from his first marriage and is a proud grandfather of one.)

 

Filed Under: Pastor Darren Canning