In this chapter we have studied the art of civil disobedience. We have learned how you can stand up for your beliefs in the courtroom or in the boardroom, even if you have to pay a price.

The early church was threatened. Imagine if someone threatened your life, would you be afraid? When faced with opposition and persecution, the New Testament believer’s default was to first turn and pray to the Sovereign Lord, and not to some god out there who is not alive, and who is abstract and impersonal.

The Holy Spirit empowers us to be bold witnesses of the gospel. God intends to fill all of us with the Spirit so we may partner with Him in the Great Commission (Matt 28:16-20).

If we were in the same situation of being arrested for proclaiming our faith in Jesus Christ, would we pray? If so, what would our prayer be?

The church before the Spirit was given was fearful. We could say the same about today’s church. We do not live boldly and courageously, but instead we are stuck, fearful, and in hiding. We are missing out on God’s invitation to do great things through us. These fears are unwarranted, since we are admonished throughout the Scriptures to fear not! God’s blessings are unimagined and unexpected and are waiting for us on the other side of boldness!

The early church was committed to prayer and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, because they understood the power behind having the Holy Spirit’s presence and the power it bestows. When you know God is with you, you can be bold!

Courageously saying ‘yes’ as the Spirit is moving us outside of our comfort zone, proclaiming our faith and the gospel with those around us. Being honest, vulnerable and teachable. Being bold and speaking up when something is not right.

As we live in this way, may it be said of our lives as in Acts 4:13 “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus”.

Let us pray with confidence that God can change our world and the world around us.