When We Pray Together, Together, It’s Different
27 for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. 29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.
32 Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.
It is so great to look at the places in the book of Acts where the disciples prayed together. They did it to rejoice. They prayed when they were in trouble. They prayed together when they made decisions.
This was probably a time of fear, right? John and Peter have just been arrested, threatened, and released. More and more people are becoming Christians every single day.
And remember how Jesus said to wait in Jerusalem until power had come upon them? I’m pretty sure the power He was talking about has come, so it’s time to move out!
They prayed for boldness to preach about Jesus and that His power to heal would be upon them.
They can pray that because for many of them, they knew the power to heal was already upon them. Not just in the miracles of the blind seeing and the lame walking, but just in the mix of the very people that were there. The fact that they were together in such unity was a miracle. The fact that rich and poor were mixing and mingling in their friendships and trust was a miracle to the outside world!
Most translations plop a subheading in between verses 31 and 32 to help us read the Bible, but I think that’s messed up! Look at how they go together. If I can’t trust you to borrow my hedge clippers, how can I trust you to pray with me?
They were all together and increased in boldness and faith as a group. As churches try to figure out how to come back from online services, the Church in Acts 4 looks at us. When we come together and pray, we are participating in God’s body on earth and He participates with us. It’s a thing.
And the more ways we can find to pray and worship God together, the more better. For the Church in Acts: “they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.”
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