Over the course of the nearly two years that we have been here, I have learned a lot about ministry and about how to be a pastor and how to lead a church. I have seen that many times, people mean completely different things with the same words. I have seen that people have completely different understandings and expectations from the church. Over the next few weeks we will occasionally look at some passages that speak to the church and what its purpose and mission is and what that looks like.
We have our red prayer cards that we ought to continue to pray for those items. Prayer is an often misunderstood and very much underused tool for the church. There ought to be power in our prayers. We are facing a time in our church that if prayer is not a part of our lives then we can expect failure. I believe that we are at a clear point that must demonstrate where our loyalty and our faith lies. Prayer is a clear demonstration of our faith and trust and loyalty to God.
In Acts 4:29-31, the early church was faced with the beginnings of persecution. Peter and John had been imprisoned and beaten. They were threatened to not let this teaching spread any further. Basically, they were told go and enjoy your beliefs but do not tell anyone else. They responded we cannot do that because our God requires us to tell more people. As Peter and John gather with the church after their release and praise God and call upon Him to give them strength to fulfill His work. The passion they possessed to see God’s work fulfilled. After two of the leaders of the church were imprisoned, they did not sit around and wonder, why did that happen, but they instead go to the Lord in prayer seeking His strength to continue on. What are some areas of our church life and ministry that we need strength in? As we pray for these areas what are you going to do to see that these areas are strengthened?
In their prayers they were not seeking the acts and means that would get people’s attention, but they prayed for what would change people’s lives. Notice that in verse 29, they call for the Lord to give them confidence in their proclaiming the Word of God. Then in verse 30, “while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus." They are praying that the Lord would continue to heal people and other signs and wonders would take place, but notice, they are saying, “While You extend your hand . . . through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.” They do not ask specifically that God would do those things through them, but through His work and His acts. Their desire is for the life-changing work to be accomplished. Are we as a church praying for the life-changing work of the proclaiming of the gospel to be accomplished through all of us? I am always encouraged when I hear about people’s opportunities to share the gospel. I heard one story of someone in our church who has been talking with one of their doctors. As they shared the story, I was greatly encouraged because it was clear their doctor was very comfortable with them. They are in a position where if their doctor is in great need of any kind, the doctor will be open to turning to them. Are we praying that God would open these kinds of opportunities to us? What are some ways that we as a church could open up these kinds of opportunities? Small Groups.
Finally, notice that in verse 31 it says that the place where they were praying was shaken. Could you imagine the power that was in that place? The Lord’s power rested with them through the Spirit. The Bible says, “They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the Word of God with boldness.” It says they were all. Not just the apostles but all of the believers. They were filled with the Holy Spirit. Do we live in such a way that we are filled with the Spirit? Do we live in such a way that when we speak the Word of God to someone, we sense that we are filled? Do we seek to pray and be submitted to the Lord on a daily basis? We talk about living in the power of God and speaking in His power, but that is made real when we trust that He will be the one to make the change in others. When we trust in Him that in our obedience He will accomplish His will. We recognize that it is His work and not ours. Through our obedience and submission to Him, His power may be made known to all people.
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