February 09, 2023 | Be On Mission
Enable Your Servants to Speak
Scripture: Acts 4:23-31 (NIV)
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.
Devotional
Peter and John had just healed a crippled man in the name of Jesus. In response, the crowds began to put faith in Jesus, but the religious establishment was not so kind. They tossed the two apostles in jail overnight, then threatened them to stop ministering in Jesus’ name the next day.
When they were released, they went back to their friends and prayed, “Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” In the face of promised persecution, the followers of Jesus asked the Lord for bold words and powerful signs in the name of Jesus! And God answered their prayer. Just look at the last verse of this passage again!
Imagine if they had prayed for safety or protection amidst the threats. Imagine if they had prayed for comfort or peace in the face of persecution. Imagine if they had prayed for anything but bold words and powerful signs. Now look at the last verse again and speculate about what it might have said.
Our prayers are a portal between our hearts and heaven. They reveal our passions and priorities, our hopes and fears. Our prayers are a declaration to God of what we desire for Him to do in our lives. They are a statement of faith and a promise of action.
Our theme for this year is “Be on Mission.” We are being called to live like the New Testament followers of Jesus who took the Gospel to people near and far. As you think about your part in the mission of Jesus, what do you need to pray for?
Gather a few index cards, sticky notes, or your phone. Write down a prayer that is both a statement of faith and a promise of action as you consider how God is calling you to be on mission to those with whom you live, work, learn and play. Share it with some other believers. Then, pray this prayer often until God does it!
Poem
Prayer
Acts 4:29-31
Just how do you pray
When great evil besets
Do you gasp out in fear
With full rescue requests
Or pray back to God
Hope’s true promises set
Just how do you pray
When great evil besets
For what do you pray
When the going gets tough
Do you seek an escape
When the battle is rough
Or ask for great boldness
Truth’s false foe to rebuff
For what do you pray
When the going gets tough
And thus when you pray
What do you then expect
Peace, quiet and calm
Your essence protect
Or for lives to be shaken
Christ’s full gospel project
And thus when you pray
What do you then expect
