Prayers of the Early Church
| On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. "Sovereign Lord," they said, "you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25 You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: " Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 26 The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One. ' 27 Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28 They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. 29 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30 Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus." 31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. (Acts4:23-31) |
- How are we involved in Spiritual Warfare (v23)?
Spiritual warfare" is a phrase you might hear some Christians use, yet many people may not know what it is, or what to do about it. One way to explain spiritual warfare is by comparing it to physical war. Spiritual warfare is the battle for control of people's souls. God created us to know Him and experience His love. He created us to love others as we love ourselves and to use our skills and talents for the good of the world, thereby pointing people to God. The enemy of God is committed to preventing people from knowing God and trusting Him with their lives. The enemy's tactics may differ depending on whether someone is converted or not, but his ultimate purpose is to keep people from experiencing the love of God by using different authorities and strategies in this world. - Fighting Spiritual Battles, the Jesus Way: Praying With Other Believers (vs24)
Throughout His life on earth, Jesus faced spiritual warfare in many forms. He was tested by the devil during His 40 days in the wilderness (Luke 4:1-13). He was provoked, falsely accused and verbally abused by people who did not like what He was saying. However the apostles still depended on Jesus - Know Your Enemies: The World, the Flesh and the Devil (25-27)
The Bible teaches that three forces are battling with God for ownership of our hearts: the world, the flesh and the devil. Thankfully, God is stronger than all of them. Societies and cultures in the world encourage people to think and act in certain ways. Some elements of every society or culture can point you toward Jesus, some are neither good nor bad, and some directly conflict with your ability to follow Jesus and maintain a strong connection with God. Such cultures and authorities need be vehemently rejected by the church - Praying With Other Believers (28-29)
Engaging a community of fellow believers is vital to persevering and overcoming spiritual warfare - The Holy Spirit's Role in Spiritual Warfare (30-31)
God is three persons in one God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the most often misunderstood member of this Trinity. But to experience consistent victory in spiritual warfare, it's crucial to know and understand His role in our lives. The greatest source of strength is the Holy Spirit who live within us. The Holy Spirit give us power to do God's work fearlessly
May God bless today's reading. AMEN
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My name is Rev. Talkmore Chilanga. I am a minister at Mbare UPCSA. I am married to Rumbidzai and we have four daughters: Esther, Mega, and twins Aliyah and Alyson
