We must obey God rather than...

Today I read Acts 5:12-42. It was such a challenging passage for me. The Apostles were doing many miracles, the church was growing, and the Religious Leaders were becoming more and more hostile to the Apostles.

The Apostles were once again arrested for preaching about Jesus. However, an angel released them in the middle of the night and told them to continue preaching "this message of life" in the Temple. The very next morning the Religious Leaders went to bring the Apostles from jail to stand before the High Council, but were surprised to find the Apostles, not in jail, but preaching in the Temple.

The Apostles were immediately arrested again and brought straight to the High Council. Needless to say the Religious Leaders were not to happy with the Apostles...ok, it says they were "furious and decided to kill them." Fortunately, a well respected Religious Leader advised the Council not to follow through with their desires because they might actually "find [themselves] fighting against God." So they once again beat the Apostles and told them to quit preaching about Jesus.

I don't think they expected the Apostles to leave rejoicing that they had been considered worthy of suffering for the name of Jesus. I'm sure the Religious Leaders thought this will teach them and make them stop, but the very opposite happened- "every day, in the Temple and from house to house, [the Apostles] continued to teach and preach the message: 'Jesus is the Messiah.'"

What gave them such boldness to continue preaching? I know the Holy Spirit empowered them and gave them boldness, but there was something else as well. In my opinion it was the conviction that "We must obey God rather than any human authority." No matter what council or government forbid them to preach, they were going to preach because God told them to keep proclaiming...keep teaching this message of life...keep being His witnesses. Nothing would stop them, because God told them to do it.

I think about this in my life. I haven't been threatened with jail, beaten, or faced real persecution. Of course, I know some people might not agree with me or even like me, but I have never really even been rejected or despised by people because of Jesus (at least that I know).

However, I do find myself struggling at times to maintain the same conviction level that the Apostles had about "obeying God rather than any human authority." What do I mean by that? Sometimes my obedience to God has been trumped, not by a human authority, but by my own fears and my own desires. Right now, my biggest obstacle in life is not others, it is myself.

Jesus, I confess I have allowed my fears to seem greater than You and Your promises. I, at times, have allowed my own desires to become more important than Your will. Thank You for forgiving me. I want to be able to share the same conviction as Your Apostles, "I must obey God rather than..."