Remain in the Spirit: Courage to Speak Boldly

High-school stories open a reflection on the cost and difficulty of speaking truth. Facing the temptation to stay silent in order to fit in, or to speak in the wrong spirit even when truth demands it, the narrative moves to Acts and the defining promise of Acts 1:8: the Holy Spirit empowers ordinary people to be Jesus’ witnesses. The account of Peter and John—uneducated, ordinary men—healing a crippled man in Jesus’ name and defiantly standing before the same council that crucified Jesus becomes the case study. Filled with the Spirit, they speak boldly, confessing Jesus as Lord and refusing the council’s demand to stop naming him. Their courage is not self-generated but a gift of the Spirit, given when faithful people remain close to God.

The text shows two balances: the Spirit supplies words and courage in moments of confrontation, and the Spirit also disciplines how truth is spoken. Honesty without Spirit-led humility can become sin; courage without prayer can become vanity. The disciples’ response to persecution is not a prayer for removal of threats but a prayer for greater boldness to continue the work that provoked opposition. The Spirit makes ordinary people unable to be ignored and unable to be managed by systems of control. Remaining in Jesus—abiding in the Vine—means depending on the Spirit for strength, clarity, and timing. That dependence relieves the paralysis of overthinking words and the temptation to speak recklessly.

Practical applications surface: in family conflict, online argument, church crises, or moments of conscience, the key is not to manufacture perfect phrasing but to remain in the Spirit so the Spirit can work through imperfect vessels. The invitation is to recognize when the Spirit calls to speak and when to be silent, to ask for boldness when needed, and to refuse the lie that only the impressive, charismatic, or highly educated are useful to God. The Spirit’s presence makes ordinary people agents of resurrection, witness, and courageous truth-telling for the sake of the gospel.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Remain in the Spirit always Staying near the Vine is not a performance but dependence: the Spirit provides courage, words, and discernment when pressure mounts. Abiding prevents frantic self-reliance and refines motives so that truth is spoken to build, not to wound. This posture reshapes fear into faithful response and keeps the Christian from being driven by social approval or shame. [64:52]
• 2. Boldness is a Spirit-given gift Courage to confront unjust powers or confess Christ is not merely moral grit but a gifting of the Holy Spirit that arises in communal prayer and dependence. Asking for boldness redirects energy from rehearsing lines to seeking God’s presence so speech becomes testimony, not spectacle. Boldness sustains witness in the face of real cost and redirects longing for safety into trust in God’s purposes. [67:55]
• 3. God uses ordinary, untrained people The Spirit delights to make “unschooled” followers unavoidable in their witness; God’s chosen instruments are often those with no cultural clout. This truth dethrones performance anxiety and summons faithful obedience: readiness matters more than résumé. When the Spirit fills ordinary people, systems of control and fear lose their power. [62:00]
• 4. Speak truth, but Spirit-led Truth can be right and yet sinful in delivery; the Spirit guards both content and tone. Remaining attentive to the Spirit prevents honest words from becoming weapons and ensures confrontation aims at restoration rather than self-justification. Practiced restraint and prayer cultivate speech that convicts and heals. [65:54]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [42:58] - Opening Stories
• [44:37] - The Burden of Words
• [49:36] - Acts 1:8 Declared
• [51:24] - Peter and John Arrested
• [53:56] - Peter Filled with the Spirit
• [58:49] - Council Tries to Silence
• [61:33] - Spirit Gives Boldness
• [66:52] - Remain in the Spirit
• [70:06] - Final Exhortation & Prayer

Bible reading
*Acts 4:1-20 (ESV)*
*1 And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, 2 greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3 And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. 4 But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.*
*5 On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, 6 with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. 7 And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, 9 if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, 10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. 11 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”*
*13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. 14 But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition. 15 But when they had commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another, 16 saying, “What shall we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17 But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name.” 18 So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, 20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”*

Observation questions

1. What specific actions of Peter and John annoyed the religious leaders, and what was their immediate response?
2. How does the text describe Peter's state immediately before he speaks to the council, and what is the first thing he declares about Jesus? [53:56]
3. What two observations did the council make about Peter and John that left them astonished and unable to deny what had happened? [58:49]
4. What was the council's final command to the apostles, and what was Peter and John's definitive reply?

Interpretation questions

1. The council members were the same people who had Jesus crucified just weeks earlier. Why would Peter choose to directly confront them by saying, "whom you crucified," instead of using a more diplomatic approach? [54:21]
2. The text says the council recognized Peter and John as "uneducated, common men." How does their ordinary status make the boldness they displayed even more significant, and what does this suggest about the source of their courage? [01:02:00]
3. The council's primary concern was to stop the message from "spreading further among the people." Why was silencing the name of Jesus so important to them, even though they couldn't deny the miracle?
4. Peter and John respond that they "cannot but speak." What had they seen and heard that created this undeniable compulsion within them, and how does the Holy Spirit transform fear into this kind of conviction?

Application questions

1. Where in your life—be it with family, online, at work, or in a moment of conscience—do you feel a tension between the fear of speaking up and the sense that a truth needs to be said? [47:48]
2. The courage to speak is not self-generated but a gift of the Spirit that comes through dependence. When facing a situation that requires boldness, what would it look like to shift your focus from rehearsing the perfect words to praying for the Spirit's presence and guidance? [01:07:55]
3. It's possible to be honest and yet sinful in your delivery. [01:05:54] Reflect on a recent difficult conversation. How can you rely on the Spirit to guard both the content and the tone of your words so that your aim is restoration and not self-justification?
4. God uses ordinary people, not just the charismatic or highly educated. [01:02:57] What feelings of inadequacy or performance anxiety hold you back from believing God can use you as his witness? How does the example of Peter and John challenge that narrative?
5. The disciples' response to persecution was to pray not for safety, but for greater boldness to continue the work. [01:07:39] What is one area where you are currently being asked to be quiet, and what would it look like to pray for boldness in that area instead of praying for the pressure to be removed?
6. Remaining in the Spirit is not about performance but about daily dependence. [01:04:52] What are one or two practical ways you can "abide" or "remain" in Christ this week to stay connected to the source of your strength and courage?