“Grant it to Your bond-servants to speak Your word with all confidence, while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.”—Acts 4:29–30 NASB

Born in 1514 in Scotland, John Knox lived in turbulent times. He was a priest before being called to the Protestant ministry. In 1553, when Mary Tudor, a Roman Catholic, became queen of England, Knox fled to Switzerland. When he later returned to Scotland, Knox became an outspoken critic of Mary Queen of Scotland’s regime.

Knox displayed a bold faith, unafraid to pray boldly. Mary Queen of Scots admitted that she feared “the prayers of John Knox more than all the assembled armies of Europe.” She knew his prayers unleashed God’s power. Knox knew how to pray with effectiveness. He prayed with a boldness that could shake the nations, all based on his relationship with God and a sense of His presence.

Knox prayed, “O Lord, give me Scotland, or I die!” God heard his prayer and mighty spiritual things happened. Knox knew nothing was impossible for those who pray. He expressed this conviction when he said, “A man with God is always in the majority.”

Today, God hasn’t changed. But how many people can say they pray with the kind of boldness characterized by John Knox? God looks for people with this kind of boldness—a boldness that is willing to take on kings and kingdoms and assault the gates of hell.

Determine to live by faith; believe God boldly. Act with a certainty that, with Him, nothing is impossible!

Reflection Question: How can you share your faith boldly this week?

“Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand. And he told them, ‘Look, I see the heavens opened!’”—Acts 7:55–56 NLT

In human terms, this might have seemed like a crushing defeat. Stephen, who had been an effective minister of the Gospel, had been arrested by religious leaders. They were intent on silencing his ministry and stopping the spread of the Gospel. Stephen could have been a model of hopelessness as he was stoned to death. It could have seemed like a horrible defeat.

But in that moment of apparent defeat, Stephen was given an extraordinary picture of the ultimate victory that awaited him. While others simply saw events in human terms, Stephen was given a picture of Heaven. It was a picture of total victory. While others sought to silence him, he continued to celebrate the victory of his eternal hope and his relationship with Jesus.

Stephen was given a picture of Jesus standing victoriously at God’s right hand. At that moment, the stones that were thrown to take his life hardly seemed to matter. He was at peace, perfectly prepared to experience the glories of Heaven.

As we look at the world around us, we can feel overwhelmed. It can feel like we face inevitable defeat. We can react by feeling discouraged, defeated, broken, and hopeless. These are moments to be reminded of the vision given to Stephen. Remember the eternal victory we have in Jesus. Celebrate His resurrection and the eternal life that awaits all who serve Him.

Reflection Question: Reflect on your eternal victory waiting for you.