AND WHEN THEY HAD PRAYED, THE PLACE WHERE THEY ASSEMBLED TOGETHER WAS SHAKEN; AND THEY WERE ALL FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND THEY SPOKE THE WORD WITH BOLDNESS. (Acts 4:31)
A couple of nights ago I had a dream. While it was short, it was intense and a right to the point dream. It was one of those dreams where when I woke I remember thinking and knowing that there was no doubt that the Lord had sent it. While this dream had a direct meaning for me and the people of our church, I also know when God wants something shared. He wants this dream to be shared. There is something to be revealed here that will impact your walk with Him, especially if you are sold out and committed to following God with reckless abandon and want to change the world. I hope that's you!!!
Sometimes you have a dream that is a little foggy when you recall it. You might tell someone of your dream with words like, "it seemed as if I was," or "it was like I was in" and then you continue on. Hopefully you know what I mean. You can kind of recall the main focus of your dream, but the exact details aren't real clear. This dream wasn't like that. I knew exactly where I was which was in the community center where we currently hold our church services. The dream follows:
It was nearing the end of service and there was a prompting for everyone to go forward and pray together. A circle was made around the podium where pastor Tony preaches and along the stage. As we were standing there nobody seemed to be quite sure as to why it seemed that the Lord was instructing us to do this, but suddenly the Lord began to give me some words for this moment and I began to speak. "Just stand quietly in His presence and meditate on Him. The Lord wants to do something, give something to us that we need. Don't be anxious, just rest and wait on the Lord to do this." Quickly it came. We could feel a heavy presence. I remember speaking, "Ah, here it comes." We all could feel something coming over us and the Lord began giving me the words to speak out......................
BOLDNESS. TODAY I AM GIVING YOU BOLDNESS FOR IT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU LACK. YOU DESIRE TO CHANGE GOVERNMENTS AND NATIONS BUT YOU CANNOT DO THIS WITHOUT BOLDNESS; FOR THERE ARE TIMES WHEN YOU FEAR MAN. HOW CAN YOU CHANGE A NATION WHEN YOU ARE AFRAID OF WHAT MAN CAN SAY OR DO TO YOU? SO TODAY I GIVE YOU BOLDNESS, FOR UNTIL YOU HAVE THE BOLDNESS OF PETER, WHO DID NOT FEAR BEING ARRESTED, OR THE BOLDNESS OF PAUL, WHO DID NOT FEAR THE CHAINS, YOU CANNOT DO MIGHTY WORKS IN MY NAME. STOP FEARING MAN. I GO BEFORE YOU, WHY SHOULD YOU FEAR? AM I NOT THE GOD WHO CREATED MAN? WHY FEAR HIM? TODAY I GIVE YOU BOLDNESS, FOR I KNOW YOUR HEART AND SEE YOUR DESIRE TO FOLLOW ME. BOLDNESS!!! AND THEN YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SAY, "IN THE NAME OF JESUS I COMMAND...........!" BOLDNESS!
And then I was awake and did not feel that I could immediately speak. Nor did I want to!
I have to be honest with you. Until that dream I thought that boldness was something that just comes as you try to become more like Christ. Something that comes the more you read and understand the Bible. Something that you desire to have. That dream showed me that while those things certainly help, it is only by God that such boldness can be given. Today I decided to study the word "boldness" as it relates to God. I understand it better as a divine gift. A key to the Kingdom. That is why the apostles prayed for it. Look at Acts chapter 4. The apostles had been warned not to speak or preach in the name of Jesus, but look at part of their prayer:
"Now Lord, look on their threats, and grant to your servants that with all boldness they may speak your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus." (verses 29-30)
Here also is part of a commentary that I found today. I quote from the "Spirit Filled Life Bible" pertaining to how the word boldness, or "parrhesia" (strongs concordance #3954) is used in Acts chapter 4. "Here it denotes a divine enablement that comes to ordinary and unprofessional people exhibiting spiritual power and authority. It also refers to a clear presentation of the gospel without being ambiguous or unintelligible. Parrhesia is not a human quality but a result of being filled with the Holy Spirit."
Wow! Read it will do you good to read that again.
While I believe that God wanted to give this word to the people of our church, it is not exclusive for for us. There are many churches and many followers of Christ who have awakened and are ready to take on the ungodly things of this world, advancing the kingdom of God.
Tonight as you sleep, I pray that the Lord will visit you with a gift and a deeper level of boldness. As you wake tomorrow, may you feel empowered to do His work with complete clarity and determination as never before. May we also be mindful to pray for those who are in prisons around the world for already bodly proclaiming the gospel of Christ. They already understand the concept of fearing no man.
Let's do this!
MarkS
A couple of nights ago I had a dream. While it was short, it was intense and a right to the point dream. It was one of those dreams where when I woke I remember thinking and knowing that there was no doubt that the Lord had sent it. While this dream had a direct meaning for me and the people of our church, I also know when God wants something shared. He wants this dream to be shared. There is something to be revealed here that will impact your walk with Him, especially if you are sold out and committed to following God with reckless abandon and want to change the world. I hope that's you!!!
Sometimes you have a dream that is a little foggy when you recall it. You might tell someone of your dream with words like, "it seemed as if I was," or "it was like I was in" and then you continue on. Hopefully you know what I mean. You can kind of recall the main focus of your dream, but the exact details aren't real clear. This dream wasn't like that. I knew exactly where I was which was in the community center where we currently hold our church services. The dream follows:
It was nearing the end of service and there was a prompting for everyone to go forward and pray together. A circle was made around the podium where pastor Tony preaches and along the stage. As we were standing there nobody seemed to be quite sure as to why it seemed that the Lord was instructing us to do this, but suddenly the Lord began to give me some words for this moment and I began to speak. "Just stand quietly in His presence and meditate on Him. The Lord wants to do something, give something to us that we need. Don't be anxious, just rest and wait on the Lord to do this." Quickly it came. We could feel a heavy presence. I remember speaking, "Ah, here it comes." We all could feel something coming over us and the Lord began giving me the words to speak out......................
BOLDNESS. TODAY I AM GIVING YOU BOLDNESS FOR IT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU LACK. YOU DESIRE TO CHANGE GOVERNMENTS AND NATIONS BUT YOU CANNOT DO THIS WITHOUT BOLDNESS; FOR THERE ARE TIMES WHEN YOU FEAR MAN. HOW CAN YOU CHANGE A NATION WHEN YOU ARE AFRAID OF WHAT MAN CAN SAY OR DO TO YOU? SO TODAY I GIVE YOU BOLDNESS, FOR UNTIL YOU HAVE THE BOLDNESS OF PETER, WHO DID NOT FEAR BEING ARRESTED, OR THE BOLDNESS OF PAUL, WHO DID NOT FEAR THE CHAINS, YOU CANNOT DO MIGHTY WORKS IN MY NAME. STOP FEARING MAN. I GO BEFORE YOU, WHY SHOULD YOU FEAR? AM I NOT THE GOD WHO CREATED MAN? WHY FEAR HIM? TODAY I GIVE YOU BOLDNESS, FOR I KNOW YOUR HEART AND SEE YOUR DESIRE TO FOLLOW ME. BOLDNESS!!! AND THEN YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SAY, "IN THE NAME OF JESUS I COMMAND...........!" BOLDNESS!
And then I was awake and did not feel that I could immediately speak. Nor did I want to!
I have to be honest with you. Until that dream I thought that boldness was something that just comes as you try to become more like Christ. Something that comes the more you read and understand the Bible. Something that you desire to have. That dream showed me that while those things certainly help, it is only by God that such boldness can be given. Today I decided to study the word "boldness" as it relates to God. I understand it better as a divine gift. A key to the Kingdom. That is why the apostles prayed for it. Look at Acts chapter 4. The apostles had been warned not to speak or preach in the name of Jesus, but look at part of their prayer:
"Now Lord, look on their threats, and grant to your servants that with all boldness they may speak your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus." (verses 29-30)
Here also is part of a commentary that I found today. I quote from the "Spirit Filled Life Bible" pertaining to how the word boldness, or "parrhesia" (strongs concordance #3954) is used in Acts chapter 4. "Here it denotes a divine enablement that comes to ordinary and unprofessional people exhibiting spiritual power and authority. It also refers to a clear presentation of the gospel without being ambiguous or unintelligible. Parrhesia is not a human quality but a result of being filled with the Holy Spirit."
Wow! Read it will do you good to read that again.
While I believe that God wanted to give this word to the people of our church, it is not exclusive for for us. There are many churches and many followers of Christ who have awakened and are ready to take on the ungodly things of this world, advancing the kingdom of God.
Tonight as you sleep, I pray that the Lord will visit you with a gift and a deeper level of boldness. As you wake tomorrow, may you feel empowered to do His work with complete clarity and determination as never before. May we also be mindful to pray for those who are in prisons around the world for already bodly proclaiming the gospel of Christ. They already understand the concept of fearing no man.
Let's do this!
MarkS
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