Oct 03, 2025 When Pressure Comes Upon Us – Words of Grace Blog – October 3, 2025
Our brothers and sisters who first tasted the grace of Jesus and were filled with the Spirit’s power soon felt the pressure of opposition.
Acts 4 is their story. A new day has dawned as the Holy Spirit is poured out on the people of the Way. The church is formed and filled and flourishing. All are together in fellowship as they grow in grace and love. God has chosen to work wonders and signs among them to authenticate the witness of the apostles to the resurrection of Jesus and their teaching in his name. Their number is growing as more people come to faith and are forgiven of their sins. And then…
Then they encountered the pressure to shut it all down and go silent about Jesus of Nazareth who started it all. The pressure was not new. Jesus felt it from the same gang just weeks before. And they killed him. So, the pressure was not imaginary either. The forces of darkness joined the rulers of men against the Lord’s Anointed (Psalm 2). And anyone who had joined the band of Jesus’ disciples was the target of their silencing campaign. The Council gathered to consider what to do about the apostles’ insistence that Jesus was raised from the dead. Their solution was to charge them to speak no more in the name of Jesus (Acts 4:18). The pressure came from the fact that the Council had the power to stop them, as they proved by handing Jesus over to Pilate to be crucified.
Pressure is real. It comes in many forms, some direct and some more subtle. It comes from many places, some up close and personal and some more distant and general. It comes with a threat. The threats, too, are varied. If we don’t yield to the pressure we may feel some slight discomfort, or we may experience a deeper personal loss. The pressure is spiritual, because it’s about faith, love, and loyalty to Jesus who is Lord and Christ.
So, what do we do in the face of pressure related to faithfulness to Jesus?
Submit to God. “But Peter and John answered them, ‘Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard’.” (Acts 4:19-20)
Know the character of God. “When they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, ‘Sovereign Lord…’.” (Acts 4:24)
Pray to God. “Lord, look upon their threats and grant your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness….” (Acts 4:29)
In these ways we, like the apostles and early Christians, can boldly continue in faithfulness to Jesus and in the joy in knowing that he sees it all and will keep us to the end.
These are the things we will consider this Sunday at Grace Community Church. I look forward to seeing you.
-Scott
*All Scripture quotations are from the English Standard Version.