Sifting

“And when they had prayed, the place in which they were assembled was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they continued to speak the Word of God with freedom and boldness and courage.”-Acts 4:31

It is a painful lesson to try to do part B of this verse without first attending to part A. There can be no true boldness apart from the fullness of God’s Spirit. Everything else is flesh and profits nothing. The Lord surely tests us on the things we say. I’ve experienced a sifting but by God’s grace I shall stand again. “…and when you yourself have turned again, strengthen and establish your brethren…”(Lk. 22:32) Here lies the blessing. To be a trophy of grace and a testimony to the the world, “…to show that the Lord is upright and faithful to His promises; He is my Rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.” (Ps. 92:15)