Church Prayer

My notes for a talk I'm giving tonight at the MPBC prayer meeting...

Acts 4:23-31
23 And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24 So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, 25 who by the mouth of Your servant David[a] have said:

‘ Why did the nations rage,
And the people plot vain things?
26 The kings of the earth took their stand,
And the rulers were gathered together
Against the LORD and against His Christ.’[b]

27 “For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together 28 to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. 29 Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, 30 by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.” 31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

1) Prayer is a church activity

Prayer is individual... and also largely corporate:

23 And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24 So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said….

There’s accountability- the church are living in each others lives
There’s corporate response: ‘they raised there voice to God in one accord’
They all agree, they all care
Prayer is unifying- we show each other they we are concerned with the same issues


2) Prayer uses God’s words

“Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, 25 who by the mouth of Your servant David[a] have said:
‘ Why did the nations rage,
And the people plot vain things?
26 The kings of the earth took their stand,
And the rulers were gathered together
Against the LORD and against His Christ.’[b]

When the church pray they pray with truth in biblical ways
The church in Acts was Bible-saturated, they prayed quoting scripture

3) Prayer asks big things

‘Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, 30 by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”

They ask for miracles to confirm their message
They ask for boldness to speak the word- remember they had been previously threatened and tried by the Sanhedrin

4) Prayer makes an impact

31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

They were filled with the Spirit: they felt God’s presence and God’s confirmation.
The room shaking!

They spoke the word of God. How many of them? Just the Apostles?
No, the whole church spoke the word with boldness.

God came close and empowered the church!