“The Lords instruction to them through the angel was not to hid out or flee, but to continue to proclaim His truth boldly as they had done before…
Just like Daniel, his prayer life wasn’t belligerence, but before the persecution was his habit… [Acts 3]… many times Christian’s can fear losing rights they never exercise…
They were not preaching to be a burr in the side of these religious leaders, they were preach because the Holy Spirit had called them to and empowered them to proclaim His good news…
In this context we can understand their rejoicing… Not, hurray for a beating… but “that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.” … Peter had denied Christ, the others had hid… they had failed Him once, but here they had stood… they had a chance to stand and they stood up to the very ones that had killed Jesus…
This is the big take away I want us to grab onto here:
If you’ve failed to stand in the past, just wait, God has a way of circling back around … you’ll have another chance… it won’t be the same chance, but it will be another chance…
If you’re facing something you’ve failed at (a million times)… there may be a reason you’re facing it again…
In part the enemy knows he’s gotten you there before… but also in part God is giving you another chance to finally slay that dragon…
We will never know we are truly free until we stand in Victory…
If you’re facing it again maybe a God giving you a chance to finally taste victory…
Peter, who so feared man, whose spirit was willing but his flesh was weak, would eventually die on a cross of his own standing up for God… He went from a denier to a martyr…
If you’ve failed Him in the past, fear not… He’s going to give you another chance to stand… This is the nature of our God… He’s always looking to restore…”