#206 When Pressure Hits, We Choose God

They told Peter and John to stop speaking the name of Jesus, and their answer still confronts us today: we cannot stay silent about what we’ve seen and heard. We sit in Acts 4 and talk honestly about what happens when faith meets pressure, when people try to threaten you into shrinking, and when you have to decide who you’re going to obey. If you’ve been tempted to hold back just to keep the peace, this conversation is your reminder that comfort is not the goal, conviction is.

We also go deeper than hype and get practical about fear vs faith. We pray the Acts 4 prayer for boldness, talk about why opposition can be part of the refining process, and unpack what “be still and know” really looks like when life demands movement. Faith without works is dead, so we challenge the habit of calling fear “waiting on the Lord” and ask what step God is telling you to take right now. We even revisit Peter walking on water, because the moment you shift your focus from Jesus to yourself is often the moment you start to sink.

Then we close where Acts 4 closes: unity, “great grace,” and radical generosity where nobody lacks. Barnabas leads by example, and we ask what stewardship and real church community should look like today when someone near us has a need. If this encouraged you, subscribe, share it with someone who needs boldness, and leave a review so more people can find these Bible study conversations.

A journey through spiritual refinement, identity, healing, and growth, learning how pressure produces purpose and reveals the diamond within.

An invitation to come and be a part of what God is building here at God's Diamond Network.  We don't have to go at it alone; this is where we will grow together.

A Christ-centered journey of reset, refinement, and realignment, helping you confront darkness, heal deeply, and walk boldly in your God-given identity and purpose.

A gentle reminder to financially support us with a $3.99 monthly seed that helps us continue to share Kingdom conversations that transform lives. 

Thank you for listening, and we hope you will return every week.

Transcript

Welcome And Opening Prayer

SPEAKER_02 0:13

Good evening, everybody. Well, hope you're having a great day. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 0:31

Trying to get us some music now. Trying to get us some music. How long have you said tonight?

SPEAKER_00 0:57

I had to be pausing it. Come on into the room. Nobody is here quite yet. We wait. That was only a minute. We are going into the book of X. Hello, Mr. Hello, hello. Share it as well. I don't know how long we're gonna have our music tonight. Money, money, money. That's what it is. Um, let's see. Sharing the live. Hello, Apostle. Hello, hello. I hope all is well.

SPEAKER_03 3:09

Angela. She told me to. Angela.

SPEAKER_00 3:16

There we go. And I got pain on my hands, y'all. I didn't realize it. All right. Hello, hello, all. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 3:37

We have Miss Becky in the house. She is in the house. Hello, hello, my dear. Thank you so much for being here, everyone. For those of you that are here for the first time, I would like to introduce. I should introduce myself. My name is Katherine. I am the senior pastor of this great branch of Zion. Hallelujah. To God be the glory. I love it that everybody is here today. I'm getting ready to pray.

SPEAKER_00 4:08

Miss Berta is here. An apostle here. Miss Becky is here. Valita's here.

SPEAKER_01 4:16

Amen. And Miss Angela is here. I tagged you, my friend. You must have remembered. Let's see here. Alright. Thank you for sharing Valita. Tagging some people. Appreciate it. Hallelujah. Alright, y'all. Let's go ahead and pray. Father, thank you so much for another day. Thank you so much for your grace and your mercy. Thank you for my Bible study on tonight. I pray that you would open up our eyes. Open up our ears. Open up our hearts so we might receive what it is you desire for us today. I pray in the name of Jesus that our eyes would be open to be able to see. Our ears would be open to be able to hear. Have your way. God, we bless your name as we bless your people. Thank you so much for the opportunity, God, to be able to come before you and to get into your word. I pray, God, you will make it clear and plain so that we can get what it is we're supposed to have. I pray in the name of Jesus. For our brothers and sisters in Christ, all around the world. Pray that all serve in spirit and in truth. God, we thank you again and we bless your name. We pray all of these things in the precious name of Jesus Christ. We do pray. Amen, amen, and amen. Hallelujah. Hallelujah to God in the glory. Amen. Okay. Alrighty then. Let's get ready to get into it. Let's see. Let's see. Let's see if I miss any more comments. Thank you, Brenda, for tagging some folks. If you see, if you think somebody ought to be here, tag them. Yeah. The same thanks. I got home for a few minutes and did not remember until you tag me. And hallelujah. Amen. Hallelujah. And Valita said amen. So uh where were we? Peter and John, they got arrested for teaching and preaching Jesus. They got together trying to figure out how they could stop them. But they just like, you know, we can't even, we can't. I mean, we want to stop it, but we can't deny what they're saying. We can't even deny it. Like at the end of the day, what did they do? They threatened them. They threatened the people to try to shut them off so they wouldn't talk about it anymore. Hallelujah. So that is where we were. Amen. And so now we pick up at verse 18.

Ordered To Stop Speaking Jesus

SPEAKER_01 7:03

Acts chapter 4, verse 18. Hallelujah. Acts chapter 4, verse 18. And it reads like this and they called them and commanded them not to speak at all, nor teach in the name of Jesus. Amen. So then he got this, you know, slap on the wrist, so to speak. He said, But Peter and John answered said unto them, whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. Hallelujah. He says, at the end of the day, we're going to do what God has called us to do. And at the end of the day, God is God and He's God all by Himself. Hallelujah. So they're not concerned about what the Pharisees and the Sadducees and all of those people will. They're not concerned about what they think. Amen. Hallelujah. So it says, For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. Hallelujah. Look, I want to encourage each and every person that is under the sound of my voice. Don't hold back. Hallelujah. Don't hold back to make somebody else comfortable. Hallelujah. Because at the end of the day, this is what they wanted them to do. Hold back to make them comfortable. Hallelujah. Hold back so they wouldn't feel guilty. Hallelujah. Hold back so people would not serve God. Hallelujah. Hold back. You gotta decide today. Thank you, Velita, for recalling that starting scripture. Amen. Look, you hear what I'm saying? Like, don't hold back on account of somebody else. Hallelujah. Amen. And I believe, and

Don’t Hold Back Your Witness

SPEAKER_01 8:53

I think I said it yesterday, like at the end of the day, that's a part of the refining process. Hallelujah. We go through refining until we get to that place we talked about it yesterday. Conviction. We gotta have a conviction for us to stand against opposition. Hallelujah. You got to have a conviction. Hey man, you gotta have something on the inside that is stirring, it's like fire. Hallelujah. To continue to go in the face of adversity. Hallelujah. Because I'm telling you, it's coming. Amen. The closer you get to Christ, more and the more adversity comes at you, more opposition comes at you. Why? Because the enemy wants to stop the chatter about Jesus. You hear what I'm saying? Hallelujah. Amen. When we be when we get a dependence on him, that man cannot fulfill. I'm telling you, the enemy wants to shut you up. And he will be very strategic and tactical and trying to make you doubt the goodness of God. Trying to make you stop talking about Jesus. Hallelujah. Amen. The proof is right here. The button. Hello, Jacqueline. Amen. Thank you so much for sharing. Look, we're in verse 21 of Acts 4. It says, So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them because of the people. Uh-huh. See, had not all of these things concurred in front of the people, what would they have done in secret? Hallelujah. Look, won't people make up lies? Won't people twist the truth, distort the truth so that they look like they're the victim and you're not the victim? They feel like they've been threatened, they've been harmed to make you look like you are doing something wrong.

Threats, Public Pressure, And Truth

SPEAKER_01 10:53

Hallelujah. The Bible is very specific. He said it says, He says, He said, because of the people. Hallelujah. Imagine if they had nobody had been watching. Hallelujah. They coerced Judas. Remember? They gave him 30 pieces of silver in order for him to turn over Jesus to them. Hallelujah. But nobody could see that. Amen. This is why Judas was just like, oh, I betray innocent blood. You're trying to give that, come give that money back to them. And they would think they look at the money. We don't know what you talk about. We ain't give you nothing. Hallelujah. Amen. It was because all of this, all of this happened in front of the people that really saved uh Peter and John's life. Hallelujah. He says, for all men glorify God for that which was done. Amen. These these rulers and these law-abiders leaders, they were more concerned about applause from people than they were about applause from God. Amen. That's what they were more concerned about. So this is one of the big reasons why they did not go any further with John and Peter. Because they had did nothing wrong. Hallelujah. Outside of talk about Jesus. Amen. And not just talk about him, but perform a miracle. Hallelujah. To God be the glory. Hello, Alan and Valita said. Hallelujah. Amen. Let's keep it moving. We in verse 22. He says, For the man was above 40 years old, who on whom this miracle of healing was showed. So 40 years. I don't know exactly how long he was lame, but because it doesn't tell us that he was lame. He could not walk from birth. So I don't know how long exactly he was, he was um without with without being able to walk, but we can we can figure it was quite a while, right? Hallelujah. 40 years old when this miracle happened to him. Hey man, AJ got nothing to do with it. Hallelujah. Say it, AJ got nothing to do with it. Hey man, will God want to perform a miracle in your life? He will. Amen. Hallelujah. Look, verse 23 said, and being let go, they went to their own company and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said unto them. And when they had heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord and said, Lord, thou art God, which has made heaven and earth and the sea and all that is that in them is. He says, Who by the mouth of thy servant David has said, Why did the heathen rage and the people imagine vain things? He says, The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ. For of a truth against the holy child, Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod and

Purpose In Persecution And Psalms 2

SPEAKER_01 14:13

Pontius Alice, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together for to do so, for to do whatsoever thy end, and thy counsel determined to be done. Let me read the commentary about this. Hallelujah. It says when Peter and John told the members of the fellowship what had happened, they all recognized the persecution as fulfillment. Based on it came out of Psalms 2, verse 1 through 2. Gentiles and the people of Israel had united in opposition to God's holy child Jesus and his followers. Then and now believers take comfort in knowing that Jesus' sufferings as well as their own are not by chance, but were determined by God. Amen. So let us all be encouraged that there is a purpose and a plan for your current current sufferings. Hallelujah. Amen. Look, something is being fulfilled. This is one of those moments we see through the text that the disciples see what has happened, what they already previously read, they already understood, they knew. And when it happened, it was just like, oh my gosh, look at it. It's being fulfilled right now. Hallelujah. They're recognizing how important they are, how God is using them in this season to bring his word to pass. Look, he's bringing the word to pass in your life. Hallelujah. I don't know who needs to hear this. Amen. I think it's Catholic. You hear what I'm saying? You heard what I'm saying? Like at the end of the day, God is accomplishing something. And you might be sitting there saying, I don't know how in the world this is gonna happen. I don't know how I'm gonna do this. I don't know how I'm gonna do that. We talked briefly about it yesterday. Like, there has to be no way. There has to be no other way. Amen. When we look at God and we when he says he's the way maker, there has to be no other way, and then God comes in on the scene of your life and makes a way out of no way. He takes the no way and he creates a way. Do you hear what I'm saying? Hallelujah. Why does he do that? Because we depended on him to do it. Come on, somebody, hallelujah. Receive that now, amen. He makes the way out of the no

God The Way Maker In Real Life

SPEAKER_01 16:59

way. Hallelujah. Come on, hallelujah. 12 years, 12 years. You're talking about David defeating a giant. Hallelujah. Amen. There was no way. But God made a way. Hallelujah. He made a way. Receive it now because it's for somebody. I know it's for me. Hallelujah. I receive it in the name of Jesus. That He is making a way out of no way. Hallelujah. Because at this point, my entire life is based on faith. You hear what I'm saying? Hallelujah. And so there are moments where I'm just like, I don't know how in the world we're gonna do this. Especially now in this season. I promise you, if you peeked into my finances, you peeked into my life, you'll be like, how in the world are you doing that? And all I can say is, come over, later, but God, but God. But God, period. Like, period. No, I mean, no question marks. You know what I'm saying? Like, but God. Amen. God is making the way. Amen. Because I promise you, I I wonder every day I'm wondering about this, that, and the third. Do you hear what I'm saying? Hallelujah. I ain't putting nobody in my business, but I'm telling you, I am a living testimony that God is a way maker. Hallelujah. Amen. Like at the end of the day, I don't have a full-time job. Amen. Michael is the only one that is working in our house. Do you hear what I'm saying? Amen. He's the only one with consistent income. And that is even being tapped into. Do you hear what I'm saying? Hallelujah. I'm telling you, this is just me being transparent. God is the way maker. Amen. I ain't putting it on nobody else. Hallelujah. I'm not standing on nobody else's word, but God's own. Amen. God will make a way. My husband, I promise you right now, he is working. You might as well say he's working a hundred hours in a week's time. You hear me? Can't nobody do that for God to give him that kind of strength. Come on, I want somebody to keep going. Hallelujah. And keep on showing up. Amen. And he has, he has all sidestepping. You hear what I'm saying? He's doing the best. His very best. Hallelujah. Amen. Here at home, there at the job, at the ministry. He's giving his very best. The way maker. You hear what I'm saying? Hallelujah. I don't know how much more transparent I can be. But some of us need to take a look at what he's done already done. We're looking way up there, saying, God, you gonna do this for me? Are you gonna do that? I need you to do this. Look at what he done already did. Hallelujah. Come on, somebody, y'all talk to me. Amen. Let me read some comments to God be the glory. Hallelujah. Come on now. Amen. Look, you know when you're going through it. Amen. And can't nobody tell you going through it. Why? It's because God is making a way. Hallelujah. God is making a way. Amen. So they can't see. Why? Because you trust him. Come on, somebody. Y'all better talk about it. Hallelujah. I got I see some agreement. Amen. I got a yes and an amen. And I got a I receive it. Hallelujah. Come on, Jackie. I know that's right. Receive it. My mama is here. Hello and hello again. Amen. And Valita said an amen. Got some more agreement. Hallelujah. And Alan said, God is a way maker. And he can split the red sea. He can create a way for us. You better talk about it, sir. Hallelujah. They didn't just walk, they didn't walk in mud and water. Hallelujah. The Bible said they walked on dry ground. So not only did he lift up the water, but he lifted up the mud too. Come on, somebody, hallelujah. Can't nobody do that but God. Hallelujah. Amen. Can't nobody do it for them. Amen. So I promise you, you're not that good. Not none of us are that good, but he is but God, he is. Come on now. Hallelujah. You better give him the praise. Amen. You better give him the glory while you can. Somebody talk to me. Believe it said, I receive it. Mother Brown said, I receive it in the name of Jesus. But God in the hallelujah. Amen. Come on, somebody. Amen. I get excited about the goodness of God. Hallelujah. I get really, really excited. Amen. Because he he's he's doing some things in my life. And I just right now at this point, let me just be, I can't figure it out. Hallelujah. I mean, I I am I am so like trying to figure out what am I supposed to do? And ever so quietly he says, just watch me, watch me do it. Hallelujah. Amen. Jesus. Oh, goodness. Oh, Lord, have mercy. Brother said, Yes, God is the way maker. He has made ways for me so many times. So many times. Lord, y'all make me want to sing that song. But I ain't singing tonight. You heard me? But God, yes. But God, yes. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Nobody but God. Amen. Hallelujah. Got another hallelujah. And a hallelujah. Angela said she made it back. Her internet went out. You get that one in the name of Jesus. And an amen. And a butt God to God be the glory. You better talk about it. Hallelujah. Look, huh? Look, Al said, be still. Huh? You just be still. Come on, somebody. How many of us be still and know? What's the rest of it? He said, know that I am God. Hallelujah. Be still and know that I am God. Amen. God all by myself. Hallelujah. Be still. We're moving too much. You know what I'm saying? Hallelujah. We do it, we do, we do too much. Amen. That's why we always try to credit ourselves. Hallelujah. Because we be doing the most. Hallelujah. But when you sit still, you walk in your faith and you look, look, look, look. Let me say this. When you're walking in faith, you need to be listening for direction. Hallelujah. Because the Bible says, what? Faith without works is dead. Hallelujah. God will make us, will have us to stand still even and move at the same time. Hallelujah. Standing still on his word and moving in faith. Faith without works is dead. Hallelujah. You got to take a step. Amen. You got to do something. The something is whatever he tells you to do. Hallelujah. Amen. If he tells you to make a call, make the call. He tells you to go over there, go over there. He tells you, call so and so, talk to so-and-so, do it. Because again, faith without words is dead. Hallelujah. Sometimes God will remove any kind of options, so you ain't got but one. Hallelujah. And unfortunately, some people, because you ain't got nothing but that one option, they will do nothing. And I'm telling you, you're gonna miss it. Hallelujah. Sometimes he takes everything away. Take it away, take it away. So now this is all I got. This is what I gotta do. Hallelujah. Hey, man. Hey man, I gotta take care of my family. I gotta do this thing because this is all I know how to do. You heard what I'm saying? Hallelujah. Trust the process. Trust the process. Amen. I'm encouraging somebody tonight. Trust the process. I hear it. He said, trust the process, Catherine. Come on, somebody. Hallelujah. I'm just being real with y'all. Hallelujah. Because right now, for me and my house, it is very difficult right now. Hallelujah. Amen. It is extremely difficult. But I promise you, we're trusting the process. I'm trusting the process. We're gonna come out victorious. Matter of fact, we're already victorious. It's just manifesting. Hallelujah. It's already happening. Amen. But I'm just saying to you, the struggle is real. Hallelujah. The struggle is real. And that's that's as far as I'll go. But I'll say it again: the struggle is real. Amen. But I know a way maker. He's gonna make a way. Hallelujah. When he said he said, wait on me. I am already working it out behind the scenes. Amen. While me and her type the same thing. Hallelujah. Amen. Hallelujah. To God be the glory. Ms. Angela said yes. And yes again. Let's turn, let's go to the next verse, y'all. Verse 29 said, Now, and now, Lord, behold their threatenings and grant unto thy servants that with all boldness they may speak thy word. And they got threatened with this, that, and the third. And now they're asking for boldness. So you gotta know there's a level of fear going on. They've been shaken ever so slightly, but they're asking God, give us what we need to give you what you called us to do. Hallelujah. Because I just said to you, like the work that God puts before us, it requires us to stand on him. Hallelujah. We should be standing on him. Hallelujah. And while we're waiting, what does he say? He's gonna give us wings like what? Like an eagle. Hallelujah. That it what? Gives us strength. They are not only asking for strength, they're asking for boldness. Hallelujah. And I can just imagine them speaking the truth without no fear at all.

Pray For Boldness Over Fear

SPEAKER_01 28:23

No fear of what they're gonna say, no fear of what they're gonna do. None of that. Hallelujah. This is what they're praying for. Hallelujah. This is uh this is a model for us. We've got to pray for boldness, amen. That we're gonna we're gonna stand against adversity. I'm gonna stand boldly to do what you've called me to do. Doesn't matter what they think about it, doesn't he? Doesn't matter if they like it or not. This is what I've been called to do, and I'm gonna do it. But Father, I need you to give me more. Hallelujah. Because I'm a little bit afraid right now. I'm afraid that I will surrender to the fear. Because what are we wrestling with all the time? Fear and faith, fear and faith, fear and faith all the time. Which one will you starve? Which one will you starve? Put it in the chat. Which one you gonna starve? Fear or your faith? Hallelujah. The fear or your faith. Which one are you gonna starve? Amen. Because at the end of the day, when we say proclamations like that, decree and declare things like that, we gotta put our money where our mouth is. Hallelujah. Amen. What do I mean? You're gonna be tried and tested in that area. Oh, will you really? Will you really starve fear? Because how do you do that? Will I starve fear? Yes, I'm gonna starve fear. Then he's gonna tell you, okay, I want you to do this. There's gonna be a test coming your way. Hallelujah. Where you gotta stand boldly in faith to starve the fear. Amen. This is the same, it's the essence, it's the same thing when we ask God for patience. What happens? We go into situations where we have to practice patience. Why? Because the muscle you're working in the weight room is that of patience. And the more patience you exercise, the more patient you become. Hallelujah. So the more opportunities that are before you to operate in faith, you're in the muscle, you're working the muscle of faith. The more times you have to practice faith, the more faithful you become. Hallelujah. Does that make sense? Amen. I hope that that makes sense to everyone that can receive it. Amen. Hallelujah. Mother Brown said, she said, if you want God to walk with you step by step, you got to move. Don't stand still. Hallelujah. You got to move. Stand still on this word, but keep on moving in faith. Hallelujah. Amen. That's a word all by itself. Amen. It sounds complex, but it's really simple. Be still. Know that I am in control. Know that I am in I am God. Hallelujah. At the end of the day, I'm in control of it all. Stay right here where I am. Stand still. I got one response. Miss Angela, she boldly said, fear. Hallelujah. Amen. All right, Miss Angela. Okay. Now you got to walk in faith. There's something gonna happen in your life. Well, you got to walk in faith. That's gonna weak that's gonna weaken fear, but strengthen your faith. Hallelujah. Amen. At the end of the day, that is the result. Amen. I choose to starve fear. Hallelujah. I choose to starve fear. And so because I choose to starve fear, I already know I'm gonna be in a predicament, a predicament where I have got to walk in faith, even though I have, even though I am afraid. Hallelujah. Amen. Because fear is a real thing. Amen. What does fear come from? Fear. Fear. Fear comes from us being intimidated by what's ahead. Hallelujah. By the thing we're about to do. Maybe we've never done it. Maybe, maybe we have done it once or twice and we fail both times. Hallelujah. And so we become what afraid. You know, we become afraid to do it. But we cannot allow that fear to set in and take place and take root. Because as long as you let fear take root, what happens? It produces more fearful roots. And then you get in a position where you're not doing anything. Hallelujah. Most people will say, I'm waiting on the Lord. I'm waiting on the Lord. I'm waiting on the Lord. I'm waiting on when the reality is they're just afraid. Hallelujah. Because if we are really moving with the Lord, then our faith is not dead. We are moving. We might not be taking big steps, but we're taking some kind of step toward the thing that we say God has called us to. Hallelujah. So stop waiting on the Lord. It's probably the Lord waiting on you. Hallelujah. Somebody needs to receive that on tonight. Hallelujah. Amen. We say it all the time. Don't wait on the Lord. Baby, the Lord is waiting for you.

SPEAKER_02 33:51

Take a step. Amen. Stop looking by you. Like Peter. Peter said, if it's your will, Jesus, for me to step out of this boat, then commission me to come. Hallelujah. And Jesus said, Come.

SPEAKER_01 34:12

And what did Peter do? He stepped out of the boat. Hallelujah. And he began to walk. And he kept on looking at Jesus and he walked. One, two, three. Then he began to think, wait, I'm walking on water. Oh, then what happened? Soon immediately took his eyes off of the one who enabled him to be able to walk on water. He took his eyes off of him and then he began to think. There is a whole message in that story that a lot of us are missing. Look, you've got to keep your eye on Jesus. That is the only way you can accomplish the impossible. To be able to walk on water, it is an impossible thing. But Jesus makes all things possible. Hallelujah. Amen. So that was where Peter he messed up. He began to look at what he was doing, not what Jesus was doing. He was looking at himself and the fact that he was walking on that water. Hallelujah. You cannot look at the fact that you're walking on water. You gotta keep your eye on Jesus because he is how you are able to do what you are doing. Hallelujah. The minute you take your eyes off of him and you begin to look at what you're doing, this is when you begin to seek. Somebody, please don't miss that. Amen. Hallelujah. Do not miss that. Amen. Because God wants to do some supernatural things through you. The only way that he will do that is if you keep your

Stop Waiting, Take The Step

SPEAKER_01 36:00

eye on him. Hallelujah. Not on what you're doing. Watch what happens as long as you keep your eye on him. Amen. Somebody to God be the glory. Hallelujah. That was somebody's. Amen. I don't know who's for. Could have been for me. Hallelujah. But whoever it resonated with, that was yours. Hallelujah. Receive it as yours. Amen. Mr. Angela said, yes, it does. We must move by faith. Hallelujah. Brenda said, keep walking in faith, knowing God has it under, has it all under control. That will help you conquer fear.

SPEAKER_02 36:42

Amen. Hallelujah. And hallelujah again.

SPEAKER_01 36:48

Miss Angela also said, remember the book of Job. I have no choice but to walk by faith regardless of any fear. Amen. Hallelujah. Job had no choice. To God be the glory. We got another hallelujah and hallelujah. Somebody. Amen. To God be the glory. I'm coming back to the scriptures, y'all. I'm gonna make sure I didn't miss nobody's thought or comment. Okay. I believe we are verse 30. He says, by stretching forth thy hand to heal, and let me start over. Okay. Verse 29. And now and now, Lord, behold their threatenings and grant unto thy servants that with all boldness they may speak thy word, by stretching forth thy hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of the holy child Jesus. And when they had prayed, the place was shaken, where they were assembled together, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. Hallelujah. Do you hear what I'm saying? Amen. He said, Look, he said, the whole place was shaken. Amen. Come on, somebody. Look, he said they were assembled together. He said, The whole house was filled with the Holy Ghost. Amen. The spirit ain't gonna hold back because they don't like it. Do you hear what I'm saying? Come on, somebody. The spirit ain't gonna hold back. Somebody put it in the chat. The spirit not gonna hold back. Hallelujah. He's gonna use those, amen, who are standing on him. Hallelujah. Again, they had to have some level of fear going on. I'm gonna stay with them and talking to the Lord. I've been talking to the Lord, saying, Lord, give us boldness. They are threatening us, they trying to put us in jail because we want to do your will. Hallelujah. We need you to help us in this moment. Hallelujah. Till God be the glory. He said the whole house was shaken. And they began to speak the word of God with boldness. Hallelujah. Amen. Boldness about decreeing, declaring a thing, manifesting things as they are, amen. As they will be. Hallelujah. Come on, somebody. Hallelujah. Daniel. Daniel. Look, look, off the subject. I just got to share it real quick. I was a come, he probably was about, he probably was about three or four years old. And

Shaken Room And Spirit-Filled Boldness

SPEAKER_01 39:43

we was at the old house, probably about three. And he was sitting at the table and have a little recording. Up upstairs, doing learning the living truth. And he talked about, come on, somebody, you better talk to me. It was the funniest thing. He was mocking me. It was so funny and so cute. But yeah, that's my words. Hallelujah. Yes, Daniel, that's right. Daniel says, somebody talk to me in auntie voice. Hello, somebody. Amen and amen. Oh, hallelujah. Hallelujah. I know it. Miss Angela, let's see. The spirit is not going to hold you back. You better talk about it. The spirit's not going to hold you back. You better talk about it. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. The spirit won't. He won't. He will not hold you back. He wants to do some things through you. Hallelujah. But you gotta be willing and obedient. Hallelujah. Look at 32. I'm trying to finish this up so we can move to chapter 5 for next week. He said, and the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul. Neither said any of them that all of said women. Neither said any of them that all of the things which he possessed was his own. But they had all things common. So they went back and they did it again. You hear what I'm saying? Like they began to share, you know, and they got back to that same posture they had before the rulers and all of these people came onto the scene. So they were all gathered together under one cell, one voice, one body, one soul, all those things. He says, verse 33, and with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and great grace upon them all. Great grace. Somebody said, Great grace, hallelujah. Amen. Not only did he give us what we didn't deserve, but he gave us a unmeasurable amount of grace. Hallelujah. Receive it. Somebody needs to receive that right now. I receive it in the name of Jesus. Hallelujah. Great grace, he said, was upon them all. It's upon us, it's upon us. Receive it now, receive it. Look, he says, Neither was there any among them that lacked. Amen. Hallelujah. Nobody lacked. He says, For as many as were possessors of lands or houses, they sold them. And they brought the prices of the things that were sold and laid them down at the apostles' feet. Hallelujah. He said they laid them down at the apostles' feet, and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need. Hallelujah. So they saw through the men of God Jesus himself. Hallelujah. And they totally trusted Jesus. Amen. Look again, I say it's not about us. Hallelujah. People make it about us. Hallelujah.

Radical Generosity And Real Stewardship

SPEAKER_01 43:10

It is not about us. They trusted Jesus. They trusted Jesus. The order that He had set before them. They went, they had possession. They had plenty of their own stuff. Instead, they took and they sold it all. And they brought it to the apostles. Said, y'all know what's better to do with it than us. Hallelujah. Give it to whomever has need them. Hallelujah. So anybody who lacked no longer, no longer lacked. They was equal. Everybody had the same amount of everything. Hallelujah. Amen. We live in a world where everybody's about themselves. Oh, you got you got struggle. You're having a hard time here. Go on there, man, and process food's dead. Go on and Get this. Go. Where's the church? Hallelujah. Where's the body of Christ helping each other? Hallelujah. We, for whatever reason, don't want to help each other. Hallelujah. Amen. And it ain't good. That's not a good thing. Do you hear what I'm saying? It is not good. Listen, and and Jose? And Jose, who by the apostles were named, sir surnamed Barnabas, which is being interpreted the son of consolation, a Levite in the country of Cyprus. He says, having land sold it and brought it, brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet. Hallelujah. Let me read it. He said, he says, Hoseas, aka Barnabas, led by example, selling his land and donating all the proceeds to the church. I'm probably intentional. Y'all hear that? Hallelujah. Amen. Look, he says, such charitable acts inspire others to do good, but also incite some to seek acclaim. Hallelujah. This is the example. Like for me, I mean, because I can't speak for anybody else but myself. When I have everybody around me, have it. Amen. I don't keep it to myself. Hallelujah. Why? Because when I get possessions, when I get money, when I get things, I get this, that and the other. My thought is God is holding me responsible, the steward over. And so when I see need, I'm supposed to answer it. I don't have to. I choose to answer a need. Hallelujah. If I find out somebody is short of something, somebody's behind of something. If I find out about it and I can be and I can help out with that need, I'm Johnny on the spot, I'm gonna do it. Hallelujah. Amen. Because that's the way it's supposed to be. Why? Because I have a servant's heart. Hallelujah. Because I'm connected to the vine. Hallelujah. And so I can't sit comfortably. Everything is fat around me, my money, my bank account, you know, my house, and my and all of those things. And I see somebody, especially that's close to me, and I see them struggling. How can I not help them? Amen. But you got you got literal biological brothers and sisters that won't help each other. You got parents who won't have their children. You got children who won't have their parents. Hallelujah. I'm talking about family. I didn't even mention nothing about the church. You heard what I'm saying? Hallelujah. I mean, it blows my mind. Amen. When I look at the responsibility of the church and how Jesus desires it to be and how we do it as a people, it's just like wow. It's just a wow. Hallelujah. Because I feel I personally believe we do a disjustice, a disjustice to the things that God give us. God give us abundance. Whether we can see it or not, he gives us abundance all the time. But here's the thing, because we keep it all to ourselves, this is why it's like it's like it's like having a cup with a hole in it. Everything you pour in it, it just wastes down to the bottom. Why? Because at the end of the day, when it's all about you, it doesn't last. It doesn't, I mean it doesn't stretch, it don't go nowhere because it's all about you. I'm just saying, right? At the end of the day, we gotta keep, we gotta be mindful of the people around us. Hallelujah. These people, they had an experience with Jesus. They saw Jesus bring forth life. This man couldn't walk. Now he can walk. That was one incident the Bible's recalling right now that they saw with their own eyes. Now they selling all their land, selling, selling their houses, selling everything they got, bringing it to the apostles' feet and saying, give it to whoever. Y'all give it to us. Like that, what kind of faith is required for that? You know what I mean? Like, that's crazy faith. Hallelujah. That's that that that type of faith is just like it's radical. Yeah, it's a radical type of faith. I could be wrong, but radical faith is a signal of revival. Hallelujah. Amen. Radical faith. I want ELCM to have that radical faith as well. Hallelujah. We get outside of ourselves and what we need and answer the need. Hallelujah. What difference will we make? Praise the Lord. God is doing it. Amen. Hallelujah. It is not in ourselves, but God is doing some things that we only we can't even comprehend at this point right now. Hallelujah. Amen. Look, to God be the boy, what y'all takeaway? We are wrapped up chapter four. I didn't tell them wrong. That light was getting darker and darker. Hallelujah. Amen. And amen. Give me a takeaway. I'm gonna read the comments while y'all give me your takeaways. Oh, well, Daniel. Jackie said I receive it. Miss Becky said she receives it. Miss Becky, I'll be feeling better today. I meant to mention that earlier. I received great grace. She was the only one who said it. All right now. Y'all better receive that now. Great grace. Hallelujah. I receive it. Great grace. Valita said amen. Jackie said amen. Mother Diane. She said, My dad told me he was grateful that God is keeping him with a sound mind. All I can say to God be the glory. He is 98 years strong. Hallelujah. And he'll be 99 June 28th. And hallelujah. Amen. June 28th. 99 years old. Hallelujah. Hand clap for that. Amen. And let's see. Miss Angela said too, Mother Brown, to God make the glory, love on him as much as you can. Hallelujah. Amen. God bless you, Miss Angela. Miss Angela, I receive it. The ear is still plugged, but no pain. Hallelujah. Amen. To God be the glory. Take it away. Let's see. You see me, I have a hug. Smile. Amen. Hallelujah. Let's see. The takeaway. Short and sweet. Keep your hands in God's hands. Keep your hands in God's hand. Oh, yes, in the great grace. Hallelujah. To God be the glory. I receive it too. Amen. To God be the glory, y'all. What's your takeaway? While y'all are working on your takeaway, I'm going to go ahead and pray, Father. Thank you again for your grace and your mercy. Thank you, God, for allowing us to be able to make it through our Bible study today. I pray all is well. I pray that all was said and done was pleased and acceptable in your sight. God, we pray your forgiveness. Anything we've said, done, or thought, that it's not pleased in your sight that by grace you will forgive us. God, I pray in the name of Jesus, you'll continue to shape us, make us more the men and women of God you desire us to be. God, we just pray you will lead God and order our steps in the way that we ought to go. God, we are so grateful for this platform. Grateful for the ministry and all that is happening in the ministry. I pray that we would be the stewards. You would desire us to be. Pray in the name of Jesus as people begin to bring up donations of far and beyond from clothes to household appliances to land to homes, all of these things. And they begin to bring them to us, God, that we will be good stewards over what you give to us, God. I pray in the name

Takeaways, Closing Prayer, And Announcements

SPEAKER_01 52:50

of Jesus that we will continue to share the message of hold-on pain ends and honoring my son, God, and just continuing on what you desire from us to bridge the gap in so many places. I just pray in the name of Jesus you will continue to just lead the way. I pray in the name of Jesus, just giving you thanks for all that you do for us on a day-to-day basis. Thank you for your daily provision, God. Thank you for our relationships. Thank you for our finances and transportation and businesses and ideas and all of these things that we so oftentimes take for granted. We just simply say thank you. Now, God, as we get ready to go, I pray in the name of Jesus, you would just keep a watchful eye on us as we go through our evening for summer's morning. I just pray, God, you would just keep a watchful eye on us, keep us from seeing an unseen danger, God. I pray in the name of Jesus that you would also draw those who are lost on today, that they might find their way back to you. I pray in the name of Jesus for those who have walked away from you, that they find their way back to you, God. I pray for just each and everyone all over the world, my brothers and sisters in Christ, your sons and your daughters all over the world, those who have yet to come. We pray for each and every one, one by one, and name by name, God, that your will will be done in their life. God, we love you, we thank you, we praise your holy and righteous name. We bless it and we bless this time, and we just praise your continue to just show us the way. God, we love you, we thank you. We pray, we ask all of these things in the mighty and precious name of Jesus Christ. We do pray. Amen. Amen. And hallelujah, hallelujah. Mother Brown says she received it. Thank you. Amen and amen to God be the glory. God will always make a way. Just gotta trust him. I have learned to lean on him when I do that. There is a peace nobody can take away but God. Hallelujah. But God. God has listened to Brenda, God has been so good to me. All I can say is trust him through all your challenges. Just trust him with your life. I love it. Praise the Lord. Hallelujah. Is there any other takeaways? My takeaway, Miss Becky, she said, amen. My takeaway is just simply, you know, they can't stop what God has already started. Okay. They can't stop what God has started at the end of the day. Hallelujah. They cannot stop what God has started. Hallelujah. And so for me, I'm just bound and determined to serve the Lord the best way I can. Amen. It's a little difficult, you know. I can admit that. I said it earlier. Like, it's hard for us right now, especially in the financial department. But I know that God is going to make sure that we keep what He gave us. See, some things that we have, He didn't give us. He didn't give them to us anyway. So if we lose them, that's okay. Amen. As long as we have what we need, it's gonna be all right. Hallelujah. So y'all keep on praying for us. Amen. That God will make a way out of no way. Hallelujah. Mother Diane said, takeaway. Not her takeaway, keep your trust in the miracle. Only God can deliver overnight. Hallelujah. I love it. To God be the glory. All right, ladies and gentlemen. Y'all have a great night. I will be here. No, I will be on my page, Catherine Graham, at 7 o'clock in the morning for morning motivation. We'll be back here on Monday at 6:30 Eastern Standard Time on this Wednesday coming up. We're gonna have Bible trivia. So that'll be fun. I think what I'm gonna do this time, I think this time I'm going to do the whole thing on StreamYard. So whoever the two top two gets the most questions right will go head to head on Friday. And it'll be a gift involved. I don't know just what yet, but we will figure it out. I'll figure it out between now and then. So y'all have a great night. I'm excited about Wednesday. And I hope you are. Anybody who wants to be, I think I can have up to 10 people on screen at the same time. So the first 10 who want to be a part of the Bible challenge, Bible challenge, inbox me and let me know. Just say by Bible trivia. That's all you have to do. Just inbox me. Catherine Brown. I guess you could do it here as well. Just say Bible trivia. And then make sure you are in the place at let's say I'll open the doors at 6.15. Okay. 615 on Wednesday if you want to be a part of Bible trivia. Okay. So that's the rundown. I hope y'all got it. I'll share it again between now and then. So y'all have a great night. And I look forward to seeing you on the next time. Amen. So I always said so much love, so many blessings from me to you. Y'all have a great night. Amen. Amen. Bless you, Apostle.