Scripture

After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness.

Observation

After Peter and John are freed, they return to the believers. They all lift their voices to God. They marvel that the attacks they might expect to come from the Gentiles are happening in Jerusalem. They call on God to send more healing power, more signs and wonders.

Application

I have never been in a prayer meeting where the building shook and all the people are filled or re-filled with the Holy Spirit. This sounds like a kind of mini-Pentecost. Whenever christians gather to pray there should be manifestations of the Holy Spirit.

So what is the prayer that triggered this response?

1. It was united. All the believers were already one in heart, mind, and purpose. The Body of Christ showed no disharmony.

2. It was a response to growing persecution. The believers were surprised that the Jewish leaders continued to reject Jesus as Messiah, despite the strong testimonies concerning the resurrection by those who had walked with Him.

3. Prayer for boldness in preaching. They didn’t want to step back from their confident proclamation that Jesus is Lord and He has conquered sin and death.

4. Prayer for healing power, for signs and wonders. They did not want a theoretical faith, an intellectual ideology. They wanted a God who is real, experiential, and working in the world.

This is the prayer they prayed, and they received an immediate answer- they were filled with the Holy Spirit and went out to preach the word boldly.

At a time when the world is falling apart in fear and panic, the church needs to keep on stepping forward with peace and power. We need to be praying hard for God to heal people. We need to demonstrate that God is still in control. We need to speak boldly to people’s hearts- Jesus died for their sins and He is alive.

Prayer

Come and shake the building, Lord. Fill your people. Give me boldness to preach your word. Amen.