Acts 4:29 "And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness,"
The beauty of the book of Acts in the New Testament is that for the first time we see the church learning to live for Christ after Christ had ascended into Heaven. As terrifying as that may have been for them Christ commanded them, before he ascended, to go and teach all nations of what he had done.
And they did just that.
They grew in number, they gathered in fellowship as believers, and they encouraged one another daily. Persecution would soon follow, but they held fast to their belief in Christ.
So, how did they do it?
What should we do?
Be generous
In Acts 2 we read that people from all walks of life that began to follow Christ now mingled with one another like never before. Many people repented of their sins and devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, they sat down to eat with one another, and they sold their possessions and gave generously to any person that was in need.
No, I don't mean you need to sell all that you have.
However, we should seek to be generous with what we do have. Being generous for some may surely be with their treasure, but for others it might be their time.
Be generous in giving your time to encourage others to live for Christ. As part of the church we are to gather in fellowship to exhort and build one another up, encouraging one another.
ask god for courage
In Acts 4 we read about the growing persecution the church faces after Christ has ascended. Peter and John had just finished healing a man and teaching a crowd in Jesus' name. Because of this, the Jewish leaders came and arrested them and threatened them to stop teaching in Jesus' name. Since the Sadducees could find no fault in them Peter and John were released. Once Peter and John gathered with other believers they prayed for God to give them boldness to speak God's word.
They could've stopped right there... but they didn't.
God is our Creator, He is our Provider, and He is our Healer.
When we are discouraged and struggling, we as believers should come together and pray for God to give us courage to speak His word.