Rocky Iv - The Comeback Kid Series

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."

In other words, if you’re argumentative and contentious, you’re not being led by the Spirit of God... but by your sinful passions.

Peter, however, doesn’t get argumentative with the Sanhedrin. Look again at Acts 4:8-12, notice how Peter speaks:

"Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: ’Rulers and elders of the people! (notice the respect)If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.

He is ’the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.’ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

Peter is gentle, respectful and he exalts Jesus. (Jesus is part of his conversation).

And this baffles the members of the Sanhedrin - who are used to arguments. They are good religious Jews. They are used to arguing about even the finest point of the law. Paul took advantage of that once when he was on trial before them. When he mentioned that he was on trial for because of his belief in the resurrection of the dead, pandemonium broke out. They loved to argue. But Peter didn’t argue...

When Peter finishes speaking, we’re told the Sanhedrin took note that "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." Acts 4:13

You see, when you’re led by the Spirit of God... you have courage, and conviction. But when (in addition to that) you are kind and gentle you’ll astonish some people, and they’ll note that you’ve been with Jesus.

That’s the first way that you whip Satan, by allowing God’s Spirit to guide up in your attitudes and behavior.

IV. But that’s only half of what you and I need to do to defeat this Satan.

In Acts 4, we find that the Sanhedrin dismissed Peter and John for a few moments while they discussed how to handle these two men. "Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus." Acts 4:18

Now, try to put yourself in Peter’s shoes here. If you had been him and the Sanhedrin had told YOU not preach in the name of Jesus anymore - what would you have done the moment you left that room? Well, I don’t know about you - but I would have gone out to the nearest street corner and I’d get to preaching. "You can’t tell me what to do!! If I want to preach... I’m gonna preach, and you just try and stop me"

I get into more trouble that way.

ILLUS: In fact, I did get into trouble once, doing that very thing.

Back when I was just out of Bible College, I went back to my home town. Even though I wasn’t an ordained preacher at the time, I was deeply involved in religious activities. One of the preachers I knew suggested that I write some articles for the local newspaper in its "Preacher’s Corner."