BOLDNESS - Audio

Bakersfield First Assembly

Acts 4:29-31 (NIV) – [29] Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great BOLDNESS. [30] STRETCH OUT YOUR HAND to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” [31] After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God BOLDLY. 2023 Theme: Stretch Out Your Hand to Heal BOLDNESS (parrhesia [par-ray-SEE-ah]) means freedom of speech, plainness, openness, freedom in speaking; the absence of fear which accompanies freedom of speech. (Abbott-Smith Lexicon) 1. PRAYED UP “In the face of this recent persecution, the believers spontaneously joined in prayer to acknowledge God’s sovereign control. This appeal to the God of creation shows that God, who had power to create the universe, will have power over their enemies. Everything in heaven and earth is subject to God and his will.” (Life Application NT) “They did not ask for protection; they asked for power. They did not ask for fire from heaven to destroy the enemy but for power from heaven to preach the Word and heal the sick. Their great desire was for boldness in the face of opposition. The emphasis is on the hand of God at work in the life of the church, not the hand of man at work for God. Believing prayer releases God’s power and enables God’s hand to move.” (Wiersbe) 2. SHAKEN UP Isaiah 6:1-3 (NIV) – [1] In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. [2] Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. [3] And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” [4] At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. Matthew 27:50-55 (NIV) – [50] And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. [51] At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. [52] The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. [53] They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus’ resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people. [54] When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!” Matthew 28:1-4 (NIV) – [1] After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. [2] There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. [3] His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. [4] The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. Acts 16:22-26 (NIV) – [22] The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten. [23] After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. [24] Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. [25] About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. [26] Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody's chains came loose. Hebrews 12:25-29 (NIV) – [25] See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? [26] At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” [27] The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain. [28] Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, [29] for our “God is a consuming fire.” Luke 21:25-28 (NIV) – [25] “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. [26] Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. [27] At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. [28] When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” 3. FILLED UP Acts 2:4 (NIV) – [4] All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. “It is our privilege to claim repeated infillings to make good our leakage and evaporation.” (F. B. Meyer) 4. SPEAK UP Acts 4:15-18 – [15] So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. [16] “What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everybody living in Jerusalem knows they have done an outstanding miracle, and we cannot deny it. [17] But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn these men to speak no longer to anyone in this name.” [18] Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. Acts 4:19-20 (NIV) – [19] But Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. [20] For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”