Acts 4:13-21

Well, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.  This most likely is what the Sanhedrin thought when they encountered Peter and John speaking fearlessly to the religious leaders, just like Jesus did.  These two ordinary men, without rabbinic training, were addressing their crowd with knowledge and authority.  Not only that, they were performing miracles.  Can't you just see the puffed up Pharisees pulling their hair out yet again, as their minds raced with thoughts of, "Didn't we just squelch this type of heresy?"

A similar scenario plays out each time one of us turns from our worldly ways, gives up living a life of sinful indulgence and embraces the ways of Jesus.  Satan and his angels look disgustedly at one another and shrug their collective shoulders saying, "Well, I guess we have to get serious now.  We can't have these people telling one another about Jesus and the salvation that waits."

When we accept Jesus and begin to live for Him, we can expect confrontation, we can be sure Satan will not stand idle and let this happen without a fight.  He knows he cannot have our souls back but he can use our past against us.  He can and he will throw lies and deceit in our path. He will try to trip us up, stomp on our confidence and bruise our egos. But, and here is the good part - he has to go through Jesus to do it.

In the same way, Peter and John were reprimanded by the Sanhedrin, "Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:18-20)

Read Acts 4:13-21 here

Listen to Acts 4:13-21 here