The Evidence of Time Spent With Jesus

After Peter and John ministered to a crippled beggar outside the temple gate and the man was healed, they began to boldly preach repentance and minister to the people. “Many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand” (Acts 4:4). As a result of their witness, Peter and John were brought before the high priest and elders. “And when they had set them in the midst, they asked them, ‘By what power or by what name have you done this?’” (4:7).

This hearing was orchestrated to intimidate Peter and John but it had the opposite effect. Peter must have thought, “Thank you, Jesus, for allowing me to preach your name to these Christ-haters.” This tells us that Peter wasn’t going to deliver a lecture, quiet and reserved. No, he was a Jesus-possessed man, bursting with the Holy Spirit, ready to proclaim the truth!

Peter’s boldness wasn’t a brassy, condemning word, however. His aim wasn’t to judge or belittle those religious leaders. He only wanted them to see their sin and repent. That’s why he gave an altar call, saying, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (4:12).

The rulers were astonished. “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained me, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus” (4:13).

Peter must have winked at John and perhaps thought, “They remember that we were with Jesus weeks ago but they don’t realize we’ve been with the resurrected Master ever since.” The two men were just recently with him in the upper room and that morning, they were with him as they prayed in their cell.

This is what happens with men and women who spend time with Jesus. Even when they come away from their time with Christ, he’s with them wherever they go.

When the crisis strikes, you don’t have time to build yourself up in prayer and faith — those who have been with Jesus are always ready. Truly, this is a blessed assurance.