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Courage in the Street

by | Mar 10, 2026 | New to the Space | 0 comments

New to the Space

by Rev James M. Armpriester, Jr 

Fire That Speaks

WEEK 6 DAY 2 — COURAGE IN THE STREET


If God truly filled you with His Holy Spirit, would anyone around you know?

Today, we’re looking at Acts 2:5-11, a moment on the day of Pentecost where the power of God begins to spill into the public square. 


When the Holy Spirit came on the day of Pentecost, we read that a sound drew a crowd from every nation under heaven that was represented in Jerusalem. 
  • Luke lists these nations intentionally – the Parthians, Medes, Egyptians, Romans. 
  • All of these nations being listed revealed that this wasn’t meant to be a private moment for the disciples, but rather a global awakening to the glory of God in Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit. 
This shift in Acts 2 is both theological and practical. 
  • When we look at Genesis 11, we see the story of the tower of Babel, where language fractured humanity and separated them. 
  • Now at Pentecost, we see language becomes a bridge for humanity, bringing them back together and back to God. 
Each of these nations represented in the crowd began to say: “We hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” 
  • This was a remarkable and memorable moment, but recognize what surfaces after everything happening: 
    • Not the Apostles and disciples promoting their greatness. 
    • Not a spiritual performance of seeing who can speak in tongues the best. 
    • But rather, the thing that is noticed in all of this are the mighty works of God.
This is what happens when the Holy Spirit comes and fills our lives. He doesn’t make us the center, He makes Jesus the center. 
 
This scene reveals something else the Holy Spirit does when He fills us. We see that the Holy Spirit comes and brings a boldness to them. 
  • Again, this wasn’t a private moment between the disciples and the Lord, but rather this moment caused them to spill into the streets. 
  • It’s often been said that the book of Acts tells the stories of the disciples “turning the world upside down.”
  • Being filled with the Holy Spirit causes us to live bold lives. 
  • Let me ask you this: Has your faith cost you anything? In your relationships, in social settings, in your career and workplace? If not, ask yourself if you have truly allowed your walk with Jesus to cross into a witness for Jesus.
The Holy Spirit gives us courage. 
Think about this from Peter’s perspective.
  • Weeks earlier, Peter denied Jesus publicly, not wanting to be known or identified as a disciple of Jesus. 
  • Now, Peter is filled with the Holy Spirit and is proclaiming the name of Jesus publicly before thousands.
  • What shifted?
He was filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. 
  • The Presence of God will lead us into proclamation about Jesus.
  • This isn’t some religious, stuff-it-in-your-face talk, but a conviction that Jesus is who He said He is and people need to hear about it.
The Spirit unites us with the Father. And the Father’s heart moves toward the lost.
 
Our Christian witness is not about forcing our belief, but being witnesses of Christ and making the truth visible.
Hear this: there are people in your life who will never read Acts 2. But they will have the experience to witness you.
  • Will your witness point them to the mighty works of God? Or does it simply blend into the cultural norms around you?
 
What happened at Pentecost is not about speaking in tongues, but rather a statement about God’s heart to spread His love and Word throughout the whole world. 
  • And to do this, He uses these tongues to make Himself understandable. 
    • To remove the barriers and speak in the language the nations can hear Him. 

Action Step: 

And today, our call is to do the same. When the Holy Spirit fills us, silence is no longer an option. Now, we’re filled with a message to share with others. 
Your challenge today is to intentionally reach out to one person, ask them how they are doing, listen to them carefully, and ask for God to give you an opportunity to speak about Jesus to them. 
Let’s trust God to fill us with His Spirit and share His goodness to those around us. 

About our Author

Pastor James M. Armpriester, Jr. worked as a molecular biologist at Procter & Gamble for ten years before becoming a pastor. With over thirty years of experience in ministry, he has been heavily involved in church planting and church health. He has served as a district director in Ohio and North Texas and has been a national leader in curriculum development, coaching, and consulting for church planting and revitalization. Pastor Jim has been the lead pastor of several churches, including New Hope in Cincinnati, Ohio, First Assembly of God in Niagara Falls, NY, and Transformation Life Church, which has multiple campuses in New Jersey.

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