The Women also Spoke

On the day of Pentecost, 50 days after the cross, 120 disciples of Jesus were dramatically filled with the Holy Spirit.

Peter was no longer the coward who denied Jesus. He stood up fearlessly and spoke words of power to the crowd. 

These words of power and life were the Keys to the Kingdom. They opened the door of salvation to 2000 hearers that day.

The prophetic words of Jesus were fulfilled.

"And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth when ill be loosed in heaven." Mt 16:19 NKJ
 
When God gives words of grace and truth, they are words of life to any and all who will receive them.
 
But was it only Peter who spoke God’s life giving words that day?

There were 120 disciples who spoke words from God to the crowd that day. They spoke in languages they had never learned and the hearers from many nations understood God’s message in their own languages.

Who were these 120 disciples? Where they only men who were ordained to preach?
Peter clearly dismisses this idea.

And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,  Acts 2:17 NKJ

So did the women also declare the Gospel in a public meeting?

In Acts chapter one, we have clear confirmation of Peter’s revolutionary words, although they were not Peter’s words, but the words of the Holy Spirit quoted from the prophet Joel.

These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.  Acts 1:14 NKJ
 
Yes. The women were also there. The 120 disciples included women. The women also spoke to the crowd with the authority of the Holy Spirit.

What do keys do? They lock and unlock doors.

The words of Peter and the other 119 male and female disciples unlocked the door of salvation and locked the door of condemnation for all who believed and received their message.

"And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth when ill be loosed in heaven." Mt 16:19 NKJ

Locking and unlocking is another way of saying binding and loosing.
 
Jesus gave his disciples the Keys of the Kingdom, Keys, not just one key.

Keys represent God given authority. 

Words of inspired preaching, teaching, prophesying and testimony are all keys that open the doors for God to reach people with his goodness and power.

So who has the authority to bind and loose, or to lock and unlock?

• Only Peter? Clearly no.
• Only the apostles? No.
• Only ordained preachers? No.
• Only men? No.

Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will have been loosed in heaven.
Again, truly I tell you, if two of you on earth agree about any matter that you pray for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.
For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there among them." Mt 18:18-20 CSB17

Where two or three male or female disciples are together in unity and agreement, their words of faith and believing prayer can bind or loose, can lock or unlock spiritual doors.

Don't Submit to Religious Bullies

Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness." 2 Timothy 2:19 (NIV)

If a woman is subjected to relentless bullying by her husband.

If a woman’s children are tormented, abused or corrupted by her husband, 

...then the only way for that woman to turn away from wickedness may be for her to leave her husband and take her children with her.

This principle should take priority over her wedding vows.

The same principle applies if you are a member of a church where bullying and abuse is rampant and being covered up. If there is no other way to stop the evil, you must leave, regardless of your position. 

If you are a pastor, an elder, a priest or a nun, it makes no difference. You must depart from evil.

If your father or husband is a predator or accomplice, that does not oblige you to be silent or to stay.

"Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness."
Of course, if you are a mother and you cannot leave without losing your children, it may be necessary to stay for that reason, but don’t let yourself be deceived by guilt sermons about the sin of divorce.

"Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness."

New Hope in the Darkness

This planet is sick. Nations are in fear of sickness, in fear of poverty, in fear of violence. There's a huge pile of garbage in the Pacific Ocean. Young people are desperate about climate change.

But God still speaks as he did in the beginning.
 
 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

 Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. Gen 1:1-3 NKJ

God sees the darkness all around you, and he wants to give you His light to see by.

 And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. Gen 1:4 NKJ

God wants to take you out of your darkness into His light.

God spoke this world into being. God still speaks and he has not retired.
God was the creator and he is still the creator.
He created. He creates and he will create.

Everything that man has ruined, God will do away with.

Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Rev 21:1 NKJ

The Greens warn that this planet is going to perish because of pollution and climate change, but God will make everything new again in the end.

Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful." Rev 21:5 NKJ

And who will enjoy this New World? The very same people who ruined God's creation.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Jn 3:16 NKJ

You may have hope in spite of everything, because God loves you in spite of everything.

 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.

"And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." Rev 21:3-4 NKJ

That's nice, you might think, but I'm scared I’ll lose my job. What if I get sick? What will happen to my family? Right here, right now, I'm scared and struggling. How am I going to get through this crisis?

Unfortunately, I'm familiar with these problems, as are we all. Stress in the family, mega-stress at work, even rejection from other Christians.

But Jesus has never abandoned me and he is faithful. He will never abandon you.
“God will make a way, where there seems to be no way ... “ Don Moen.

Every morning you can say, "God has a good plan for me.”
“Something good is going to happen to me today.”

“God will bless me and I will be a blessing to others.”

Then get up, be blessed and be a blessing. God is with you wherever you go.