We’ll be reading through Acts during February as we consider further what it means to be Spirit filled, Bible believing and Kingdom advancing. This was the early church and This is Us!
Throughout the book of Acts there are many examples of the church praying together. Through answered prayer many situations changed in line with God’s will. Let’s pray together for those same things, trusting that the same God who was working 2000 years ago in the lives of the believers in the early church can, and will, move powerfully now!
Anointing – At the beginning of Acts Jesus promised His disciples that they would receive an outpouring of His Spirit. Because of this promise, these disciples waited together and prayed with eager anticipation; believing that God would pour out His Spirit (Acts 1:12, 2:1-3), and He did! However, they weren’t just filled once, they went on being filled as they carried out the work of God (Acts 7:55) and as they gathered in prayer and worship (Acts 4:31).
We too will go on being filled with the Spirit as we seek God in prayer and carry out mighty acts in His name.
Pray for a fresh filling and that we will be devoted to living in a way that causes us to go on being filled with the wonderful Holy Spirit! (Eph 5:18)
Boldness – The early church were bold! They didn’t shrink back from sharing the good news with everyone. That doesn’t mean they were never scared, it doesn’t mean they weren’t ever tempted to be quiet and go for an easy life, but they clearly didn’t let these temptations get in the way. Instead they were bold, but this wasn’t a boldness that they mustered up in their own strength, rather it came from God in response to their request for it (Acts 4:23-31)
Pray for fresh confidence and conviction of what we believe, that we are “all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness” (4:31)
Healing – As we step out in boldness, filled with the Spirit, one of the natural consequences is that we will see healings and miracles (Acts 3:6, 5:12-16, 20:7-12). It wasn’t only the apostles who moved in supernatural power. This was and is available to anyone who is full of the Holy Spirit, as we see in Stephen’s example (Acts 6:8)
Pray we would see miracles in and through our lives. That God would minister health and wholeness, heal the sick, and do mighty miracles ‘in and outside’ of the church as we seek to glorify Jesus and share the gospel!
Release of prisoners – In Acts 12:6-18 we read the story of Peter being set free from prison by an angel after the church had made “earnest prayer to God for Him” (Acts 12:5). Jesus sets people free! He does this both physically and spiritually. There is a spiritual enemy who would seek to bind us up, but we pray to King Jesus, and “Who the Son sets free, is free indeed” (John 8:36)
Pray that we will be those who live free from sin, from any emotional, physical or mental hindrance and weight that would hold us back. That we would stand against any lies or tricks of the enemy that would seek to rob us of our freedom.
Pray that we will be bold in proclaiming the gospel. That we are confident our God is able to deliver us from any consequence that governments or authorities might choose to impose on us.
Finally let’s remember our brothers and sisters that are physically imprisoned for their faith across the world. Pray that they would know grace for today and bright hope for tomorrow as they fix their eyes on Jesus and that they might know miraculous deliverance from their physical prisons.
Direction – We can and should preach the gospel liberally to all people, however that doesn’t mean that God won’t send us specifically. Living a life of prayer, in close fellowship with the Holy Spirit will result in God directing and using us in incredible ways (Acts 8:26-40, 9:10-16, 10:3-6, 10:19-20, 16:9-10)
Pray we will live in close fellowship with the Holy Spirit, obedient to His direction and leading, being bold to believe when God speaks to us. Let’s commit ourselves to trusting God to lead us into situations where He wants to minister His love and life and power
