"And
now, Lord, pay attention to their threats, and grant to your servants to speak
your message with great courage, while you extend your
hand to heal, and to bring about miraculous signs and wonders through the name
of your holy servant Jesus." When they had prayed, the
place where they were assembled together was shaken, and they were all filled
with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God courageously. (Acts
4:29-31, emphasis mine)
Lord, pay attention to their threats...
We do not deny that there are persons in the world who want us to ignore God's agenda, and who have threatened us with harm. However, our response is not to condemn them; our response is to ask God to take note of what His detractors have said and done.
...grant to Your servants to speak Your message with great courage...
God's message is not a message to be whispered apologetically nor timidly. Our great God, who does all things well, has tasked us to share His message confidently. This is not a confidence in our own ability to deliver His message; rather, it is our confidence in the truth of His message.
...while You extend Your hand to heal...
In the book of Acts in particular, we find a connection between the word of God and the power of God to heal. The disciples asked God not only for the boldness to speak, but for His healing to be experienced by those who heard the testimony of the apostles.
... and to bring about miraculous signs and wonders through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.
As we see in Acts, the disciples did notable miracles in the name of Jesus. However, we also note that persons who invoked the name of Jesus without knowing Him were overcome by demonic powers (see Acts 19-11-16). It is imperative that we who claim to be Christian not only know the name of Jesus, but that we know Jesus (and that He knows us).
Acts 4:31 is such an encouragement to we who pray! "And when they had prayed...". Some things happened when the disciples prayed. Amen. Earnest, authentic prayer is never an empty exercise. The prayers ascend to God, and God responds. Like Acts 4:31, the response may be instant. Or alternately, as Daniel 10:12-13 indicates, the response may delayed by a conflict between spiritual forces. But, either way, God answers. Let us be renewed in the light of that truth.
Have you prayed today?
Lord, pay attention to their threats...
We do not deny that there are persons in the world who want us to ignore God's agenda, and who have threatened us with harm. However, our response is not to condemn them; our response is to ask God to take note of what His detractors have said and done.
...grant to Your servants to speak Your message with great courage...
God's message is not a message to be whispered apologetically nor timidly. Our great God, who does all things well, has tasked us to share His message confidently. This is not a confidence in our own ability to deliver His message; rather, it is our confidence in the truth of His message.
...while You extend Your hand to heal...
In the book of Acts in particular, we find a connection between the word of God and the power of God to heal. The disciples asked God not only for the boldness to speak, but for His healing to be experienced by those who heard the testimony of the apostles.
... and to bring about miraculous signs and wonders through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.
As we see in Acts, the disciples did notable miracles in the name of Jesus. However, we also note that persons who invoked the name of Jesus without knowing Him were overcome by demonic powers (see Acts 19-11-16). It is imperative that we who claim to be Christian not only know the name of Jesus, but that we know Jesus (and that He knows us).
Acts 4:31 is such an encouragement to we who pray! "And when they had prayed...". Some things happened when the disciples prayed. Amen. Earnest, authentic prayer is never an empty exercise. The prayers ascend to God, and God responds. Like Acts 4:31, the response may be instant. Or alternately, as Daniel 10:12-13 indicates, the response may delayed by a conflict between spiritual forces. But, either way, God answers. Let us be renewed in the light of that truth.
Have you prayed today?
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