{"href":"https://api.simplecast.com/oembed?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcbccoweta.simplecast.com%2Fepisodes%2F9-20-26-boldness-in-the-face-of-persecution-dTFOLRln","width":444,"version":"1.0","type":"rich","title":"9-20-26: Boldness in the Face of Persecution","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_url":"https://image.simplecastcdn.com/images/976808b7-f110-40ee-9300-beebded7c3bb/d08a6dee-0618-46e3-bb90-3754b27b2a90/cropped_1790001710693.jpg","thumbnail_height":300,"provider_url":"https://simplecast.com","provider_name":"Simplecast","html":"","height":200,"description":"What happens when standing up for your faith lands you in jail? That is exactly the situation we find ourselves exploring in Acts 4, where Peter and John are arrested for healing a man and preaching the resurrection of Jesus. This message digs into what it truly means to be bold in the face of opposition, and the answer might surprise us. It is not about having the right credentials, the perfect words, or a flawless track record. Peter, the same man who denied even knowing Christ, stands before the most powerful religious court of his day and does not soften a single word. The secret behind that kind of courage is the filling of the Holy Spirit, a special enabling that does not replace our preparation and time in God's Word, but goes far beyond what we could produce on our own. The lesson for us is deeply personal: we already have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us the moment we trust Christ. The question is whether we are yielding control to Him or trying to navigate life's challenges on our own. Real boldness does not ease into the room, read the temperature, and then decide how much truth to share. It commits fully and trusts God with the outcome."}