After Peter and John left those who had put them in jail and told them not to talk about Jesus, scripture says in Acts 4:23 they went to their people (other believers) and told them what had happened. Peter and John said the religious leaders had told them to stop telling others about Jesus. They had said, NO! We have to speak of the things we have seen and heard. After further threats they had let them go.

When their friends heard what had happened, Acts 4:24 describes their response,“they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them,” They continued praising God for how Jesus had been conspired against by the leaders both religious and governmental. All of it had been done in ways God had decided beforehand to allow. Verse 28, “to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.” They acknowledged that God was totally in control then and He was in control in their situation too. Their prayers continued as they asked God for future provision and power to continue witnessing. Acts 4:29-30 “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.” They did not want to just do an average job but to witness boldly with conviction and power.

I love God’s immediate response. Acts 4:31 “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.”

These believers did not ask to be spared from persecution but to have the ability to witness boldly. They wanted to show God’s power and might and proclaim the name of Jesus so that as many as possible would come to know Him. God answered their prayer with the ability, and courage to witness boldly for Him.

We can take a lesson from the prayer of these early believers. Ask yourself- do you pray with conviction? Do you ask for the ability to witness boldly? It takes courage and great conviction to pray as they did. Will you take this as a challenge in your own prayer life? Jesus has the power if we are able and willing.

Linda