Inside Over Outside

And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. Acts 5:40-41 (KJV)

These apostles were beaten and threatened, told not to speak in the name of Jesus. Instead of complaining, they rejoiced that they suffered shame for preaching Jesus.

What the apostles went through, what they faced on the outside- they did not allow it to get on the inside. They did not allow it to defeat them or change their good attitude. The trials were no match for the Jesus they loved and served and Who lived in them. The One who was on the inside enabled them to overcome all the evil on the outside.

Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. I John 4:4 (KJV)

We must stay so full of God and committed to Him that we’ll love God and do what He’s called us to do- no matter what we face. It can be tempting to look at the circumstances that surround us externally and lose sight of the power that is available to us internally. No foe can stop the One who lives in and through us. No worldly force can stop the King of kings. The God who resides in us has endued us with power from on high (Luke 24:49). The spirit of antichrist is in the world, but we have the Holy Spirit indwelling us, and He is undefeated. He is the One whose mighty power raised Jesus from the dead. If even death itself cannot defeat Him, we have nothing to fear. The Spirit of Life that cannot be killed or stopped lives in us.

Instead of complaining, the apostles gave glory to God in their rejoicing. They did what the world did not understand. They gave thanks that they were counted worthy to suffer for Christ. They understood the power of the Spirit they had in them was mightier than the spirit of the world around them.

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. I Thessalonians 5:18 (KJV)

Jesus in them caused them to overcome what they faced outwardly. When we follow their example, we’ll have the same results.