30th Mar 26 | 13:54
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Luke 20 19-26 THE FOOLISHNESS OF THE CRAFTY LEADERS 02 Luke 20 19 Praying for boldness
📖 Luke 20:19-26
05Mar2021 - *Praying for boldness* - _Luke 20:19-26_ - THE FOOLISHNESS OF THE CRAFTY LEADERS 2 – Bible reading: _Acts 4:29-31_
_Luke 20:19 And the chief priests and the scribes that very hour sought to lay hands on Him, but they feared the people—for they knew He had spoken this parable against them._
The Lord was confronting the evil of His time.
God will bring to our awareness, evil which is taking place in our circles. As the Lord brings these matters to our consciousness, we must move forward in His strength and do and speak as the Lord would ask us to.
As we confront the wickedness in our society, there will be consequences, for we will come face to face with the enemy. In our hearts, we must prepare ourselves that whatever may be the cost we will have to pay, we will be willing and will not hold back but we will be bold in Christ.
Peter and John confronted the leaders of their time
_Acts 4:10-11 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.'_
Peter and John made it known to the leaders that their sin was to crucify Jesus, the Son of God. They reminded the leaders that Jesus was the Chief Cornerstone, in whom they could find their shelter.
Apostle Paul confronted evil repeatedly and he had to suffer for taking his stand against the evil and to share that Jesus is the Chief Cornerstone. Here he encourages Timothy.
_II Timothy 3:10-14 But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, (11) persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. (12) *Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution*. (13) But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. (14) But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them,_
Paul is sharing with Timothy that confronting the evil of his time, was a part of the ministry that God had entrusted to him. In confronting evil and bringing the truth of God, he had to experience severe suffering.
The testimony of Paul was that in all the difficulties that he faced, the Lord delivered him.
There will be persecution for all those who seek to live a godly life in Christ Jesus. This is a reality that we need to accept and not be surprised or confounded. Rather, we must rejoice that we are privileged to suffer for taking our stand for truth and righteousness as we confront the evil of our times.
_Matthew 5:10-12 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (11) "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. (12) Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you._
We are called to be the voices of God for our times. _Esther 4:14 For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. *Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this*?"_
We are here, in our time and generation, by the design of God, in order to confront evil. The church must pray for boldness.
_Acts 4:29-31 Now, Lord, look on their threats, and *grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word*, (30) by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus." (31) And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and *they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness*._
Do we dare to pray for boldness?
*Thought to ponder*
We pray for revival in the church but will we pray for boldness to confront the evil of our times? Revival will be the result.