I asked myself this morning, what IS the measure of my confidence?  Is it fearless?  Is it conditional on circumstance?  Is my confidence dependent on what others say about me using descriptive words of who they think I am inside?  Is my confidence based on past achievements and honors?  The answer lies in front of us in this very passage.  Our fearless confidence is not man-made but Holy Spirit led and fed.  Fearless confidence builds, has meaning and purpose, when we think, speak and act, led by God’s Spirit, in Jesus Name!

When a group of believers decides to think, speak and act in Jesus Name for His glory, His will be done, unity blossoms in a beautiful  garden of healthy growing relationships that are of one heart and one mind based on the foundation of Jesus Christ.  The early church believers quoted David who wrote what would happen long before it did.  Jesus, the Word made Flesh, brought this group under His authority from God.  He passed on this God-authority to the believers with a new gift—the Power of His Holy Spirit!

In Jesus Name, with the Power of His Holy Spirit, they became “married” together in beautiful unity—one heart, one mind for God’s purpose.  I am reminded of how much God spoke of this unity from another writing of David found in Psalm 133:1-3; “How wonderful, how beautiful, when brothers and sisters get along!  It’s like costly anointing oil flowing down head and beard, Flowing down Aaron’s beard, flowing down the collar of his priestly robes.  It’s like the dew on Mount Hermon flowing down the slopes of Zion. Yes, that’s where God commands the blessing, ordains eternal life.” (The Message) Read the last sentence again.  God commands blessings, ordains eternal life when we are in unity with Him and each other!  Yes, unity is beautiful, peaceful and full of God’s love.

Our fearless confidence builds as we call out for help, guidance, direction in Jesus Name trusting that God will fill us with the power of His Spirit to accomplish whatever He gives us to do. That is fearless confidence that dwelt in these new believers.  Fearless confidence is ours for the asking, too.  In Jesus Name, By His Power, For His Glory, Amen. 

Yes, God continues to act through us who are developing fearless confidence in Him!

“They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak God’s Word with fearless confidence.”

ACTS—God’s Acts through His Disciples

Acts 4:23-37, The Message

One Heart, One Mind

^23-26 As soon as Peter and John were let go, they went to their friends and told them what the high priests and religious leaders had said. Hearing the report, they lifted their voices in a wonderful harmony in prayer: “Strong God, you made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them. By the Holy Spirit you spoke through the mouth of your servant and our father, David:

Why the big noise, nations?
Why the mean plots, peoples?
Earth’s leaders push for position,
Potentates meet for summit talks,
The God-deniers, the Messiah-defiers!

^27-28 “For in fact they did meet—Herod and Pontius Pilate with nations and peoples, even Israel itself!—met in this very city to plot against your holy Son Jesus, the One you made Messiah, to carry out the plans you long ago set in motion.

^29-30 “And now they’re at it again! Take care of their threats and give your servants fearless confidence in preaching your Message, as you stretch out your hand to us in healings and miracles and wonders done in the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

³¹ While they were praying, the place where they were meeting trembled and shook. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak God’s Word with fearless confidence.

^32-33 The whole congregation of believers was united as one—one heart, one mind! They didn’t even claim ownership of their own possessions. No one said, “That’s mine; you can’t have it.” They shared everything. The apostles gave powerful witness to the resurrection of the Master Jesus, and grace was on all of them.

^34-35 And so it turned out that not a person among them was needy. Those who owned fields or houses sold them and brought the price of the sale to the apostles and made an offering of it. The apostles then distributed it according to each person’s need.

^36-37 Joseph, called by the apostles “Barnabas” (which means “Son of Comfort”), a Levite born in Cyprus, sold a field that he owned, brought the money, and made an offering of it to the apostles.

Lord,

Until you come, the enemy continues to attack and distract us from you. The believers’ prayer then is my prayer today, “Give your servants fearless confidence in preaching your Message, as you stretch out your hand to us in healings and miracles and wonders done in the name of your holy servant Jesus.”  May all believers be unified in You, by the power of Your Holy Spirit.

In Jesus Name, Amen.  I believe.