11 "When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say."
Ever worry about what to say when met with opposition while ministering for our Lord? Jesus has a word for us today! A great example of this is given to us in Acts. We find Peter and John being opposed by the priests and the Sadducees of their day because they were “teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead” after they had miraculously healed a man crippled from birth. They were seized and placed in jail yet many who had been privileged to hear their message and behold the miracle, believed. The next day when brought before the authorities, Scripture tells us:
7 They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: "By what power or what name did you do this?" 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: "Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, 10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11 He is "'the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone'. 12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." 13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. Acts 4:7-13 (NIV)
Truth, boldness and authority in our speech are earmarks of the indwelling precious Holy Spirit for the child of the King. Marveling at these “unschooled, ordinary men” these religious leaders of the day recognized that Peter and John had been with Jesus – and rightly so. This is a prominent theme within Acts which silenced much of the opposition in the birthing and subsequent growth of the church period. We find again later in this same chapter of Acts:
18 Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God. 20 For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard." Acts 4:18-20 (NIV)
Remember, these guys had been such chickens when our Lord was crucified – striving to save their own skin! Deny, fleeing and staying at a safe distance, they were much more concerned with their own safety. Yet here, they are astonishingly bold, forthright and honest. The difference lies in the powerful Holy Spirit now dwelling within them, empowering them and teaching them what to say. Again, in Acts chapter five we find almost the exact same words:
27 Having brought the apostles, they made them appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. 28 "We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name," he said. "Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man's blood."
29 Peter and the other apostles replied: "We must obey God rather than men! 30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead--whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. 32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him." Acts 5:27-32 (NIV)
The apostles had witnessed these things and the Holy Spirit was corroborating their testimony by supernaturally enabling them to preach with boldness and perform miracles. This same Spirit is given to all who believe in Christ equipping and empowering the believer to walk in a manner worthy of the gospel. Paul tells us in Romans:
9 You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. Romans 8:9-11 (NIV)
The indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit is the mark of every believer in Christ. We are also told in I John:
24 Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us. 1 John 3:24 (NIV)
13 We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 1 John 4:13 (NIV)
41 The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. 42 Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ. Acts 5:41-42 (NIV)