Acts 4:1-12 NKJV

[1] Now as they spoke to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them, [2] being greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. [3] And they laid hands on them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. [4] However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand. [5] And it came to pass, on the next day, that their rulers, elders, and scribes, [6] as well as Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the family of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. [7] And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, “By what power or by what name have you done this?” [8] Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: [9] If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, [10] let it be known to you all, 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 stands here before you whole. [11] This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ [12] Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

I have spent most of my life straddling the fence of faith. I always believed in God, but I was hesitant to share my faith publicly. I didn't want to stand too far from the crowd. I would shy away from in-depth conversations about God because I didn't want to come off as being overly religious or too radical.

Matthew 6:24 NKJV

[24] “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You can not serve God and mammon (materialism, riches, wealth).

It is perfectly normal to be hesitant about sharing our faith. Boldness doesn't always come naturally for everyone. Some of my hesitations were from a fear of not being fully equipped to defend what I believe. As I spent more time studying God's Word, that fear started falling away. My boldness developed as my intimacy with Jesus grew.

Peter and John had no reservations about defending Jesus in front of the religious leaders in the temple.

Why?

- They TRUSTED God implicitly.

- They KNEW Jesus intimately.

- They were FILLED with the Holy Spirit completely.

When we have a firm grasp on these three attributes, there will never be another fear holding us back from the same boldness that Peter and John displayed.