Acts 4:23-31 (NIV)
On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: “‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed one. Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
Explanation:
Most Biblical scholars believe the book of Acts was written by Luke to dispel prejudice against Christianity and help pave the way for Christians to spread the gospel. If you are reading this, the gospel is being brought to you through the power of the Holy Spirit. It’s the greatest message ever told.
Peter and John had just been called out by the Sadducees for healing a lame beggar in Jesus’ name. They were threatened to no longer speak in His name. The church had just been banned! The men responded by asking the Sadducees if they should obey them, or God? Bravely, they stated they choose to obey God. The men were let go with a warning to take back to their Christian community. Imagine what it must have been like for Peter and John to confront the same religious leaders who had just crucified Jesus. They must have been terrified, thinking, “This is it. This is the day we die.” When they returned to other church members in Jerusalem, they told them of what had occurred. This generated an impromptu prayer meeting.
What exactly did they pray, though? They must have prayed for God to blind the enemy or to keep them protected when they spoke of Jesus, right? No. In their holy huddle, they asked God for boldness when preaching the word. They were afraid they would no longer be able to tell of the miracles and love of Jesus. They were not concerned about self-preservation. They asked the Holy Spirit to fill them with courage to keep on preaching. They reminded themselves of who God is: sovereign, powerful, and in control.
Many people neglect to proclaim the gospel through their daily lives. Though they are Christians, their commitment doesn’t translate. We live in a country where Christianity is under attack, but we aren’t persecuted like the apostles. We certainly have opportunities to share the Good News, and our behavior should reflect this. The apostles didn’t change their plan when they encountered opposition. They prayed for strength. Each time we pray, we have His ear. There is comfort in prayer because it’s not a one-way relationship. We all need boldness from the Holy Spirit. When was the last time you prayed specifically for strength, courage, and boldness when sharing the gospel?
Application:
Pray daily for boldness and courage to share God’s Word.
Practice sharing God’s Word with others. This world is upside down. Many people are scared and need to hear about the hope God offers them!
Invite people to Easter services at The Tree Church. Invitation cards are located at Connection Central.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your sovereignty. Remind us that You are in control of the details. We are Your servants, Lord. Use us and give us courage and boldness when we talk about You, so others may be saved. Amen.
For Further Study: Psalm 2:25 and Acts 4.