There is so much to see and learn from the action-packed book of Acts, so I’m only sharing snippets of thoughts and insights that stand out to me—things like being filled with the Spirit, courage, prayer, authority, persecution, leadership, and of course more salvation verses. And what about Ananias and Sapphira?

Push Back

Jesus has ascended (1:9). The Holy Spirit has come (2:1–4). Peter has preached two sermons (2:14; 3:12). A lame man has been healed in Jesus’s name (3:6–7). 3,000 have believed (2:41).¹

Now we learn that the Jewish leaders have taken notice (of course) and Peter and John are arrested for the first time (4:3). Despite this, the number of believers continues to increase (4:4; 5:14). This makes the religious leaders jealous and they arrest all the apostles (5:17–18), only to have them released from jail by an angel (5:19). Nothing stops God’s foreordained plans.

They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. (4:28) ... But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God. (5:39)

When have you seen God’s plan fulfilled despite opposition?

Filled with the Spirit

The religious leaders want to know by what power or what name Peter and John healed the lame man (4:7). Peter is then filled with the Holy Spirit (4:8) and answers, “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified and God raised from the dead” (4:10), the cornerstone David foretold in Psalm 118:22.

Luke uses the word “filled” nine times in his writing to describe the Spirit’s work in different people:

1. John the Baptist: “he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born.” (Luke 1:15)
2. Elizabeth: “the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.” (Luke 1:41)
3. Zechariah: “His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied.” (Luke 1:67)
4. Pentecost: “All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues.” (Acts 2:4)
5. Peter before the rulers: “Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them.” (Acts 4:8)
6. The gathered church: “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.” (Acts 4:31)
7. Saul of Tarsus: “Brother Saul, the Lord… has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 9:17)
8. Paul at Paphos: “Then Saul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said…” (Acts 13:9)
9. The disciples at Antioch Pisidia: “And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 13:52)

According to BibleHub, “Luke consistently couples filling with prophetic proclamation or decisive action. The Spirit is not a passive resident but an active occupant who takes possession of voice, vision, and courage. Unlike the once-for-all baptism in the Spirit (which initiates believers into Christ’s body), filling may recur as needed for witness and service, as Acts 4 demonstrates. Authority for ministry flows from Spirit-fullness, not human stature.”²

When have you experienced the Spirit’s filling for your ministry and service?

Salvation

My quest continues to discover all the ways Luke describes the mystery of salvation:

• But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand. (4:4)
• Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved. (4:12)
• Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. (5:14)
• “Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people all about this new life.” (5:20)
• So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith. (6:7)

The exclusivity of salvation is tough to swallow at times. I never want to arrogantly shove this truth onto others, but instead boldly offer it, following the example of the apostles who offered hope to a lame man and salvation to all.

How can you present the truth that salvation is in Jesus alone in a way that invites rather than builds a wall?

Courage

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. (4:13) 

I feel very ordinary. I’m asking God to give me courage as I spend time with him. I want it to be obvious to others that I have been with my Lord.

How would it be evident to others that you have been with Jesus?

Authority

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.” (4:18–20)

Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings! (5:29)

The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes. (Ps 118:6, 8–9)

These verses present a tension for us because we are instructed in other parts of scripture to submit to the governing authorities (Rom 13:1–7). Here, I think the apostles demonstrate the fear of the Lord which is greater than fear of human beings (Matt 10:28) just like the Hebrew midwives feared God more than they feared Pharaoh.

Author Kaitlyn Schiess explains it well: There are other forces that you might be tempted to fear that will tell you how to act, that will demand loyalty from you. And the only thing that keeps that fear of those other people from taking over you is your fear of the Lord. This is how it says it in Acts, “Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, the church increased in numbers” (9:31) … When we have a proper fear of the Lord, it makes us realize, I don’t need to fear the authorities and the rulers of the day, because I know that God is above all and supreme to all, and that ultimately my fate is in his hand and not in the fate of any other human leader … And the kind of fear of the Lord that I think we all should want to cultivate is not cowering or running from God, but being empowered by God to withstand great suffering and temptation because our fear of God is greater than fear of man.³

How do you discern when obeying God means you must disobey earthly authorities?

Prayer Pattern

After the Peter and John are miraculously released from prison, they return to the believers, report, and lead a prayer meeting. They present a great model for prayer:

1. Praise God: “Sovereign Lord, you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.” (4:24)
2. Quote Scripture: “Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed one.” (4:25–26/Ps 2:1–2)
3. State current reality: “Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed.” (4:27)
4. Make requests: “Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” (4:29–30)

Here’s my prayer following their pattern: Lord God, creator of every unique and diverse individual who inhabits this world. “Bring to an end the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure—you, the righteous God who probes hearts and minds” (Ps 7:9-10). Your church is confused and blundering. Their witness of you falters. Your children believe lies and follow after false teachers. Evil men dehumanize others in your name and lead your children to worship our nation more than they worship you. Now, Lord, consider your church. Heal us and refine us. Enable us to proclaim your word with boldness. Fill us with a correct fear of the Lord that brings wisdom and discernment.

Write your own prayer based on this model.

Care for One another

And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. (4:33–34)

The first believers are exemplary in how they care for one another and meet the needs of their immediate circle. It makes me wonder who is in my immediate circle and how can I meet their needs?

How can you meet the needs of those in your immediate circle?

Ananias and Sapphira

The wonderful report of these first believers is interrupted by the confusing and disturbing story of a couple who suddenly fall down dead after being confronted with lying to God (5:1–11).

The commentary of author Skye Jethani helps me make sense of this: Another husband and wife, Ananias and Sapphira, allowed impurity to enter the sacred space through their greed. In fact, Peter said Ananias had allowed Satan to fill his heart (Acts 5:3). And when both of them were confronted with their sin and given the opportunity to tell the truth, the husband and wife both hid. They lied and concealed the truth, which led to their deaths. The Eden-like failure of Ananias and Sapphira serves as a caution against over-idealizing the church.⁴

How might you over-idealize the early church?

Persecution

The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. (5:41)

The new church experienced true persecution, suffering for the name of Jesus. Because I live in a country that allows religious freedom, I’m challenged by Tara-Leigh Cobble’s prayer, “I’ve labeled minor inconveniences as suffering. And when I’ve actually suffered, I’ve used it as an excuse to stop seeking You.”⁵

When have you labeled your minor inconveniences as suffering?

Leadership

The quick growth of the church requires more leaders to deal with the the unfair treatment of some of the members. Their leaders must be “known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom” (6:3).

This standard of leadership is exemplified in Stephen. He is a man, “full of faith and of the Holy Spirit” (6:5) and “full of God’s grace and power” who “performed wonders and signs” (6:8). When he spoke, no one could “stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him” (6:10) and “his face was like the face of an angel” (6:15). Would that all our leaders would be like this.

How do your leaders compare to this standard?

Conclusion

I leave you with Peter’s bottom line:

The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead ... God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins.” (5:30–31)

Prayer

Lord God, fill me with your Spirit. May others know that I have been with you. Fill me with faith, wisdom, grace and power as I learn to abide in you more and more. Give me courage to speak boldly for you and choose to trust and obey you rather than human beings.

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1. If you missed it, click here for my thoughts on Acts 1–3. ↩︎
2. https://biblehub.com/greek/4130.htm ↩︎
3. https://www.holypost.com/post/what-does-it-mean-to-fear-god ↩︎
4. Skye Jethani, With God Daily, February 10, 2026 ↩︎
5. Tara-Leigh Cobble, ACTS, pg 66 ↩︎