Peter and John were at the Temple, preaching in

Jesus' NameJesus' Name..

They were arrested, imprisoned overnight, and

brought before the religious rulers next morning.

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The rulers threatenedthreatened them and commandedcommanded them to preach no more in Jesus' Nameto preach no more in Jesus' Name.

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Acts 4:23 And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. 24 And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, Which hast made Heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is:

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Hearing of the persecutionpersecution, the church recognizedrecognized and acceptedaccepted the sovereignty of Godsovereignty of God.

If they were being persecutedbeing persecuted, it was in the

Plan of GodPlan of God; they were ok with that.

25 Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? 26 The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lordagainst the Lord, and against His Christagainst His Christ. 27 For of a Truth against thy holy child Jesus, Whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,

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28 For to do whatsoever Thy Hand and Thy Counsel determined before to be done.

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Everything that happens is according to the foreknowledgeforeknowledge and predestinationpredestination of God.

When we sufferwe suffer persecution, we should thank God thank God for the

privilege.

29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grantgrant unto thy servants, that with all boldnessboldness they may speak speak Thy WordThy Word, 30 By stretching forth Thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the Nameby the Name of Thy Holy Child Jesus.

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The early church did notnot pray to be delivereddelivered from persecution.

They prayed to be boldbe bold in the face of persecution.

31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filledall filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the Word of God with boldnessboldness.

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When we pray in God's Willin God's Will, desiringdesiring His Will,

God willGod will come on the scene.

He will He will shakeshake things up. things up.

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This is some time after PentecostPentecost, when they

were all filledall filled with the Holy Ghost.

Peter was filledPeter was filled with the Holy Ghost when he when he preachedpreached and five thousand men were

saved.

Now the church prayedprayed for boldnessboldness to spread the GospelGospel, and again, they were all all

filledfilled with the Holy Ghost.

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Everyone who is bornborn of the Spirit of God into the Family of GodFamily of God, is, in that moment, indweltindwelt by God.

God comes into us in the Personin the Person of His Holy Spirit.

To be filledfilled with the Holy Ghost means that a person is completelycompletely under His influence,

And influenced onlyonly by God's Spirit.

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This maymay and shouldshould happen many timesmany times in the life of a Christian.

We will always be filledbe filled with God's Holy Spirit, when we are whole-heartedly submittingwhole-heartedly submitting to Him.

When God's Will is allGod's Will is all that matters to us.

Then we will bewill be the people God wants us to be.

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Galatians 5 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

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Romans 8 5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

To walk in the Spirit is to followfollow the leading of God's Spirit -- step by step -- everyevery step of the way.

To walk in the Spirit is moreis more than simply to turn away from the sins of the fleshsins of the flesh.

We will also love and seeklove and seek the things of God.

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We will be submissivesubmissive unto the Holy Ghost:1That we may have His Fruit produced in us.

2That we may use His Gifts to do God's Will.3That we may know the Mind of GodMind of God, and do

all things God's WayGod's Way and not our ownnot our own.