Scripture
23As soon as they were freed, Peter and John returned to the other believers and told them what the leading priests and elders had said. 24When they heard the report, all the believers lifted their voices together in prayer to God… 31After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness. Acts 4:23-24, 31
Observation/Application
What blows me away about this prayer from the early church is that they weren’t praying against those who had just jailed their leaders and threatened them. They prayed for MORE boldness to be a witness before the very council and High Priest who condemned Jesus were left speechless. God’s response to this prayer wasn’t to shake the world but to shake His Church in response to a heart that mirrors His own for those who don’t know Him.
A Prayer To The One Who IS in control- “O Sovereign Lord, Creator of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them”. Acts 4:24
When everything seems out of control we need to cry out to the One who is in control! Notice they prayed vocally and in unity. It’s good to pray solely and silently, but there are also times when the Church must come together and declare corporately and in unity that God is in control of the outcomes of our lives and He has called us here as His representatives on earth. Duzik points out in his commentary: “This word Lord is not the usual word for Lord in the New Testament; it is the Greek word despotes. It was a word used of a slave owner or ruler who has power that cannot be questioned. They prayed with power and confidence because they knew God was in control. When we pray, we often forget just who it is we pray to; or worse yet, we pray to an imaginary God of our own ideas. The disciples had power in prayer because they knew who they prayed to.”
A Prayer for the ones who seek to control- "25you spoke long ago by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant, saying,‘Why were the nations so angry? Why did they waste their time with futile plans? 26The kings of the earth prepared for battle; the rulers gathered together against the Lord and against his Messiah.’27“In fact, this has happened here in this very city! For Herod Antipas, Pontius Pilate the governor, the Gentiles, and the people of Israel were all united against Jesus, your holy servant, whom you anointed. 28But everything they did was determined beforehand according to your will." Acts 4:25-28
Notice they are praying scripturally and this brings perspective. They aren’t the first generation to face the overreach of government and they won’t be the last. What I notice here is a complete lack of fear and yet a realistic view on the current situation. They aren’t reminding God, they are reminding themselves that, just as with Jesus whom they follow, this is all a part of God’s grand plan to display His redemption to the world. No matter how much those in power seek to control God’s people they can’t change a single thing God has set in motion. All we have to do is to stay in step with Him.
A Prayer surrendering control- "29And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word. 30Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” Acts 4:29-30
They were told to keep quiet by those in control, but this prayer is asking for trouble. The early Church believers knew full well that things were not going to get easier and the pressure was not going to let up to stay silent. That’s why they prayed for boldness. This is not a prayer for comfort or ease of path as many of us are prone to pray. Instead this is the prayer of a martyr willing to surrender control and lay down their life so that even just one more person could come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. This is not a prayer for eloquent arguments against a tyrannical regime, because that’s not the point. They prayed for boldness (spirit-filled courage and confidence regardless of reprisal) “in preaching your word” not their words. Their words weren’t going to save anyone, but God’s Word saves all who hear and believe. It feels like the world is hearing our words instead of God's Word right now. The early church knew the offense of The Gospel would stir up more persecution but they refused to stay silent. They also refused to let offense at the governing powers cause them to lose focus. They knew it wasn’t going to be their hands that accomplished the miracles so they raised their hands in surrender to The Hand of Heaven. They excepted the healing power of The Holy Spirit to reach through them to every person they would come across. A surrendered people are a powerful people when surrendered to the Sovereign purposes and plans of an Almighty God who shows Himself strong in the midst of the strongholds around us. The room shaking around them was a sign of what God was doing within them.
Prayer
Lord, my prayers feel so whiny and self-centered in comparison to this. I see the world quaking in sin, but we need to see a shaking within. Not only do I need the boldness to preach Your Word in a hostile world, I need Your heart for this hostile world. It would have been easy for Peter and John to lay low and “count their blessings” that they had been released from jail with only a warning. Instead, they knew You had set them free to see others set free. So, it starts with me surrendering control to The One is in control in a world trying to control every little thing I do. Shake me. Shake Your Church awake. Show Yourself strong and may many, many come to know You in these last days!
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