Tuesday, October 20, 2020
When they had been released, they went to their
own companions and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said
to them. And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God with one
accord. Acts
All The Power You Will Ever Need
In yesterday’s post, we read about how Peter and John were thrown in jail for
healing the lame man and proclaiming the Gospel. They were threatened heavily
by the religious leaders – yes, the very ones who could not take their eyes off
of Peter and John as they stood before them declaring the power of the Holy
Spirit. They were threatened to not speak or teach in the name of Jesus again, on
no account. Peter and John’s response was that they could not keep quiet about
what they had seen and heard. Surprisingly, the leaders let them go – after renewing
their threats once more. They couldn’t keep them in jail, and if they had tried
the people would not have stood for it – they were all praising God over what
had happened.
Have you ever been in a place where you didn’t know what would happen to
you, but you expected the worst? I am sure Peter and John didn’t expect to be
released. Given the circumstances surrounding their jailing and the situation
with the church at the time, they might have expected to not get out of jail alive.
Imagine the joy and pure relief! What would you do at that very moment? I imagine
any of us would do just as they did – they went to their friends and told them
what the high priests and religious leaders had said - and then they all
prayed.
Sometimes, dropping to our knees is our last resort. First, we panic, or
fall apart. Next, we start trying to fix it ourselves. But nothing fixes our
broken lives like the power of prayer!
- Nothing can bring us together like joining in prayer. There is no connection more powerful than being in the presence of God together, and when two or more are gathered together in His name – He is among them. If you have been in a prayer meeting like this, then you know exactly what I am talking about. God’s power is evident, and it gives us boldness to proclaim His praises, and to face whatever comes next.
- Nothing can bring us more comfort in a time of distress than for our Christian brothers and sisters to come together and pray with us and for us. I would imagine that all these Christians joined together in a big group, laying hands on one another and lifted their prayers up in unison for Peter and John. Even if our prayer may not be answered the way we prayed it would, we have community supporting us and loving us through to the end.
This world today is full of technology
and there is an answer for everything at the tip of our fingers – literally. We
seek answers everywhere before we seek God. The first thing we should do is to
gather with our friends and break out in prayer (or at least ask for prayer) just
like Peter and John did.
Perhaps we don’t want to appear
weak, or needy. Maybe we are embarrassed by our circumstances. It certainly would
contradict most of our social media profiles if others knew what was really happening
in our lives. The sad thing is that we do not have to suffer alone. We have
this awesome power of the Holy Spirit to help us through this life, and no
matter how advanced our world gets, it will never surpass the power of almighty
God to meet our needs and answer our prayers! There is nothing this world
offers that will meet our needs and perform the miracles we need like our Hold
God. Nothing is more fulfilling than seeking His wisdom, praying for His hand
in a situation, and seeing Him move in your life. It does bring boldness.
It gives us the power of the resurrection in the very breath we breathe, in the
silent prayer, the weakest utterance of a word. Choose Him first over trying to fix it yourself. Give Him the opportunity to reveal His power in your life through the power of prayer. Ask your friends and family to pray with you as well, and rejoice together in the freedom to do so.
Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them. Matthew 18:19-20
Lara Cook
