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Written by Lynne Hammond

The power-generating prayer meeting the early disciples held for Peter wasn’t a one-time event. They released the same kind of power again when the religious authorities threatened the apostles and ordered them not to preach any more about Jesus. Acts chapter four tells us the Church responded to those threats by calling a prayer meeting that brought such an outpouring of spiritual power that it shook the building.

In truth, it rocked the whole region!

That prayer meeting not only provided the boldness and liberty the apostles needed to keep preaching in Jesus’ name, it produced power enough for them to work miracles that stunned the city. The rivers of resurrection power that were released brought forth so much divine life that in Acts chapter five we find:

• Many signs and wonders being done among the people

• Believers increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women

• The sick brought out into the streets so that the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on them and they would be healed

• Multitudes gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits and they were all healed

When the religious leaders tried once again to stop that flow of resurrection power by imprisoning the apostles, an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors, brought them out, and said, “Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life” (Acts 5:20).

Why did the prayers of the early believers produce such region-rocking results? How were they able to bring such miracle-working power on the scene?  They prayed expecting God to answer!

They prayed in faith, believing their prayers would make much power available, dynamic in its working!

Unlike we so often do today, they didn’t pray just hoping something would happen. They didn’t pray as a matter of form or religious duty. They prayed because they expected their prayers to change things. They prayed believing that, just as Jesus said, whatever they asked in His name would be done.

Like Elijah, they prayed with the kind of faith that makes things rock and roll!

Scripture Reading: Acts 4:1 – 31