Prayerfully Re-Center Around God
Acts 4:23-31
The Believers Pray
vs. 24: When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God…
(then they prayed)
vs. 31: 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.
23 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. 24 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. 25 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?
26 The kings of the earth rise up
and the rulers band together
against the Lord
and against his anointed one.’
27 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. 28 They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. 29 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30 Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
31 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.
Pondering Point
Whatever happened in Acts 4:23-31 and regardless of what was specifically prayed by that group, it was a moving prayer – literally and spiritually. Read through the story in preparation to re-center your life around God again this week. After re-centering, you can pray that God continues to move in such ways in the life of His current church and people.
Review
Do you expect God to speak through you? Do you ask God to work wonders through you in the name of Jesus? Do you gather with other believers to pray?
Repent (if necessary)
Based on the review questions above, repent if not getting together to pray with others, if not asking for God to work through you, or if not expecting God to work through you.
Return (as necessary)
Make a decision to center your life around God by considering with whom you could pray, seeking guidance from the Spirit on how to make it happen. Then ask for it in prayer and expect God to answer those prayers. Pray with someone today.
Prayer
Prayer for the day: Father God, You spoke by Your Spirit through David, through the disciples Peter and John as well as others. Speak now through the words and actions of me and those I pray with. Enable us to act and speak with boldness in the name of Your servant Jesus, in whose name I pray. Amen.