Acts 4:29-31

The Early Church continues to be our prototype and our brilliant role model. It is amazing how steadfast and resilient they were. They could not be silenced nor snuffed out. Repeatedly, the enemy tried, not just to strangle them, but to erase them completely to the point of no return. In fact, when the enemies of the church saw the unrelenting boldness of Peter and John, they had no alternative but to acknowledge that they had been with Jesus (Acts 4:13).

Today, we derive much strength and courage in observing how the Jerusalem church responded and reacted when all hell viciously broke loose against them. Luke informs us that the first thing they did when released by the religious and secular authorities of the city, was to go to their own company and report all that the chief priests and elders said unto them. They went back to their own company and reported. They informed the whole church. They shared and then prayed (v. 24).

Luke reveals, “they lifted up their voice to God in one accord” (v.24). They went back to the true source of their help and to the One whom they knew had commissioned them. They prayed, but this was not a scattered, individualistic, selfish prayer in a silo. They prayed together, and they prayed in one accord. How much we need to learn today, how to pray not selfishly but in one accord together. Just as how the enemy gangs up against us we need to gang up against the enemy.

Like this, the Early Church, we must first acknowledge the sovereignty and supremacy of our Eternal Creator. We affirm that He who has made heaven and earth and sea and all things, stands ready and able to dismantle and deconstruct every evil force sent to derail and hinder the Church of God. We fight fire with fire!

They prayed not just for the forces of darkness to be torn down but for the Kingdom of God to be built up and established. They specifically prayed for signs and wonders to be demonstrated and displayed. They prayed for boldness (v.29). They implored the Almighty to stretch forth His hand to heal (v.30). They asked in no uncertain terms for signs and wonders to be done by the name of the holy child Jesus (v. 30). They fought back!

We pray for boldness. We deliberately pray for healings. We pray to be refilled with the Holy Ghost (v. 31). We pray for a supernatural move of God to counteract every satanic move of darkness. Let this indeed be a sign and wonder church. We fight fire with fire!