Submitted by Curtis Tucker
As soon as they were freed, Peter and John returned to the other believers and told them what the leading priests and elders had said. When they heard the report, all the believers lifted their voices together in prayer to God: "O Sovereign Lord, Creator of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them- you spoke long ago by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant, saying,
'Why were the nations so angry?
Why did they waste their time with futile plans?
The kings of the earth prepared for battle;
the rulers gathered together
against the LORD
and against his Messiah.'
"In fact, this has happened here in this very city! For Herod Antipas, Pontius Pilate the governor, the Gentiles, and the people of Israel were all united against Jesus, your holy servant, whom you anointed. But everything they did was determined beforehand according to your will. And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word. Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus."
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. (Acts 4:23-31, NLT)
Bold Prayer
Peter and John had been arrested because they healed a lame man in the name of Jesus and then they preached that Jesus was the Messiah. The religious leaders had threatened them and ordered them to stop preaching or teaching about Jesus Christ. Upon being released these two apostles returned to the group of first century believers and gave a full report of what had happened. One would think that having survived their ordeal, Peter, John, and all the other believers would have begun strategizing their next move. Should they go "under-ground" for a while; let some time pass before they bring up the subject of Jesus again? Should they be a little less vocal? Maybe become a little more politically active in order to overturn the current leadership?
These radical believers didn't do any of that. They simply prayed for more of what had just gotten them into trouble. They didn't pray for protection or special grace. They didn't pray against the Romans or the Jewish religious leaders. They didn't start binding and casting out the devil. They didn't even pray for people to get saved. They prayed for boldness. They prayed for boldness to preach Christ's word and to be used to see great miracles take place.
You are going to face challenges today. What are you praying for?
Is there a situation where you can be bold for the cause of Christ?
