Courage to Speak Up
After delivering the chilling discourse that warned them
of the persecution to come, Jesus revealed to His disciples the source
of the courage that would be theirs as they sought to speak up in a
world of hatred. The source was none other than the Holy Spirit of
God—the same Spirit who indwelt Jesus.
What comfort the disciples must have felt as Jesus
promised, “‘When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the
Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, He will
testify about Me’” (John 15:26). The source of power that filled Jesus,
enabling Him to face His accusers and His execution with dignified
compassion and courageous strength, is the same source of power that
enabled the disciples to live and die for Jesus.
And it’s the same source of power available to you and me
today! When we have the Spirit of the living God within us, we have no
less courage, no less power, than did those 11 men around the table in
the upper room!
When have you spoken up for Jesus? When have you told someone about Jesus who doesn’t know Him?
Are you recoiling in fear, protesting, “Anne, I could
never do that! I’m afraid my neighbors would never speak to me again.
I’m afraid my friends will laugh at me or be derisive about something
that’s precious to me. I’m afraid to speak up for Jesus because I may
lose my popularity or promotion or position or prestige or possessions.”
Jesus understands your fears. That’s why He has sent you
and me the Holy Spirit. When we open our mouths, the Holy Spirit not
only gives us words, He clothes the words with power to make a
difference in the hearer. And it’s the Holy Spirit who will fill you
with such deep conviction, passion and zeal for the truth that you will
be compelled to speak up!
One evening not too long ago, my brother Franklin and I
were invited to appear together on Larry King Live, a popular talk show
on CNN. Mr. King asked Franklin how it was that we were so bold in our
faith. Was it hereditary?
I felt I had to say why I was bold—when my personality is
basically shy. The reason is that I am convinced what I say is the
truth!
And I wonder—maybe you and I don’t need more courage;
maybe we just need stronger convictions! Because when you feel deeply
about something, you are compelled to open your mouth and speak up.
Jesus stated this clearly to His disciples when He said, “‘You also
must testify, for you have been with Me from the beginning’” (v. 27).
Fewer than 60 days after that evening meal in the upper
room, two of these same disciples—Peter and John—were arrested by the
authorities in Jerusalem for speaking out about Jesus. Facing the same
religious court that had condemned Jesus to death, Peter—the same Peter
who had been so terrified of the opinions of others during the trials
of Jesus that he had denied His Lord three times—Peter, filled with the
Holy Spirit, boldly proclaimed Jesus Christ as the One “‘whom you
crucified but whom God raised from the dead…Salvation is found in no
one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which
we must be saved’” (Acts 4:10-12).
The authorities could hardly believe their ears! “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” (v. 13).
After a brief consultation among themselves, the
religious rulers forbade John and Peter to speak in Jesus’ name. The
disciples’ reply was a classic defense that rang as true in their
politically correct, pluralistic, multicultural society as it does in
ours: “‘We cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard’” (v.
20).
They were compelled to speak up—they couldn’t help
it—because they had been with Jesus! They had been with Him when the
blind received sight, the ears of the deaf were opened, the lepers were
cleansed, the lame walked, the tormented were set free, the dead were
raised to life!
How could they ever be silent again?
Our youngest daughter, Rachel-Ruth, recently gave birth
to our first grandchild—a little girl named Ruth Bell Wright. She is
softly pink with big blue-gray eyes, a halo of golden brown hair,
perfect little ears, long fingers and—I could go on and on.
My husband and I are totally enthralled with this little
girl. She fills our hearts! We can’t help talking about her to anyone
who will listen.
I’m not afraid to talk about her. I don’t plan in advance
how I will talk about her. I don’t worry about offending someone with
my talk about her. I don’t go to classes to learn how to talk about
her. I don’t read books on how to talk about her.
Little Ruth Bell fills my heart! And what fills my heart comes out on my lips!
Why do we make speaking up for Jesus so complicated? If
He fills our hearts, He is going to come out on our lips! Like Peter
and John, we will not be able to help “speaking about what we have seen
and heard” of Him!
Today, in our God-blessed nation of America, no one is
crucified or thrown to the lions or burned at the stake because he or
she believes in Jesus as the only way to God. Yet the average church
member seems to be so lacking in deep convictions concerning who Jesus
is that he or she cowers under a raised eyebrow, a whispered innuendo
or a politically incorrect label.
Are you convinced that Jesus is the only Way to God, the
only Truth about how to get to heaven, the only Life that is eternal
and abundant? Are you convinced that no one will ever be accepted by
God the Father, except they come to Him through Jesus Christ?
If these statements, which paraphrase Jesus’ own claims,
are your convictions, then do you have the courage to state them
publicly—today—to your family, friends, neighbors and co-workers? Many
church members in our pluralistic, tolerant society not only lack the
courage to stand up for the truth that faith in Jesus Christ alone is
the only way to God; they actually reproach others who do stand up!
In the light of such spiritual anemia, my heart’s cry is,
Please, Jesus, give me more of Your courage in my convictions. I want
the courage to stand out and speak up about my convictions in the way
Christians have exhibited in every century since the cross and
resurrection.
In response to my heart’s cry, Jesus has whispered in my
heart, “I will give you more courage, Anne, when you stand out and
speak up for Me!”
Anne Graham Lotz is the author of My Heart’s Cry (W Publishing Group, 2002), from which this article is adapted. Used by permission.
Michael Snyder 
James Lasher 
