Tag prayer

³¹ And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

The answer from Heaven was immediate. As if to say “Let’s shake things up,” the place where they were assembled together was shaken. It says that they were then all filled with the Holy Spirit. This was not a new anointing or fresh anointing as it is called in some circles. The same anointing they had received earlier, in response to the request and renewed surrender, is active in them with expression. What expression? They spoke the word of God in the boldness that they had requested.

But we are made to might ask, (1) why was the building shaken and (2) why is that not happening today when we ask for boldness? First, we must see that a sign was being used as an indicator of a spiritual response. What response, then, is being indicated? When you and I gather to request boldness and backing signs for a ministry that aligns with the mission of witnessing, God answers. The building was shaken as a sign that their prayer was being answered.

Second, for those of us who ask why this is not happening today, we are mistaken. The Spirit is still being poured out on people who believe just as He was poured out on Pentecost; the signs of rushing wind sounds and flaming tongues, however, are no longer needed. Each time a believer receives Jesus the Holy Spirit is given to them (Ephesians 1:13). With the Jews the sign of the promise of the Holy Spirit being provided was heard and seen and experienced as rushing wind, flaming tongues of fire above their heads, and speaking in other tongues respectively. A similar type of sign was given when the Gentiles received Christ (Acts 10:44-48). What was the sign? Gentiles, also known as the uncircumcised, spoke in tongues.

Speaking in tongues was sufficient sign for the circumcised (Jews) to believe that the same spiritual work that had been done in them was now happening in the uncircumcised (Gentiles). There is no mention of the sound of a rushing mighty wind or tongues of fire upon the heads of the Gentiles that heard Peter preach. It was not needed; speaking in tongues was enough to convince Peter and his fellow Jews that the Gentiles had been accepted by Jesus (Acts 10:46). Going forward Jews do not have flaming tongues above their heads when they receive Christ and Gentiles do not erupt in tongues. The purpose of the signs had been served; they had indicated spiritual realities that, when regarded rightly, affect the outlook and conduct of the witnesses. There are times in Scripture where a sign is used to indicate that something spiritual has taken place without seeking to make it normative. That is, there are instances of God performing a work in a special way so as to reveal how He will work in the future in a world we cannot readily perceive. Going forward He continues to do the work but without the sign.

Here is the point, beloved. Pray for boldness and backing signs for the mission of making Him known, the Lord answers these prayers and shakes things up.

God is listening now for prayers to answer. Action: Pray for boldness in the face of persecution. Pray for validation when confronting vicious opponents of the gospel. Let the church convene, call out to God for help, in order that we might succeed in our commission — witnessing.

A word of warning to my fellowship Jesus followers. Don’t try to force God to provide a particular sign. That is, do not insist on signs seen in the early church when there may be one more appropriate for your setting. Backing signs today may be different than what was used in the church in Jerusalem. Do not seek their sign when you may need your own. (In fact, don’t seek signs for yourself at all; they are for those you are trying to reach.) Seek, rather, to have evidence provided by God that will be lend support to the message of the gospel. For example, a sign certifying the gospel in a community that has been ravaged by racism could be real steps toward reconciliation between the races.

In His grip by His grace,
Roderick Barnes

Sharing Problems with People of Faith (Acts 4:23-24)

²³ And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. ²⁴ So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them,

Immediately upon their release the apostles Peter and John went to their own (ἦλθον πρὸς τοὺς ἰδίους). [The word companions (NKJV) or friends (ESV) has been added for readability. However the text only says they went to their own.] In the company of their fellow Jesus followers they begin to share their experience. What did they share? The threats of the chief priests and elders were reported to their fellowship.

Jesus followers should be intentional and inclined to keep close company with committed Jesus followers… especially when they are being persecuted for Jesus following. (Psalm 1:1-2; Acts 4:23-24)

The companions of Peter and John are said to have raised their voice to God with one accord. What does this mean? Were they were all saying the exact same thing at the exact same time? The word rendered with one accord (NKJV) or together (ESV) is an adverb that literally means with one mind (ὁμοθυμαδὸν). Whether for a good reason (Acts 1:14; 2:1; 2:46; 8:6; 15:25; Romans 15:6) or a bad reason (Acts 7:57; 18:12), they had unity. It is likely that as one in the group was praying aloud the others were sounding out their agreement and support for the words being spoken. We do this by saying “amen” as a person speaks to God on behalf of a group we are in (1 Corinthians 14:16). One-accord praying happens when (1) the Lord’s people convene in His name to make requests (Matthew 18:19-20) and (2) they are unified in purpose. Where the prayers of a single righteous person are effective (James 5:16) there is a special presence and power associated with the gathering of God’s people unified in prayer:

• The One Accord of God’s People for His Purpose is Indicative of a Special Anointing (Psalm 133:1-2) — ¹ Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity! ² It is like the precious oil upon the head, Running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron, Running down on the edge of his garments.
• The One Accord Praying of God’s People for His Purpose is Especially Effective for Getting Answers (2 Chronicles 7:14; Matthew 18:19-20; James 4:3) — ¹⁹ “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. ²⁰ For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”

Based on the promise of Jesus, this group, unified in purpose and under His person in prayer, will get results. As we consider the prayer we should note that it is very Jewish. It sounds like the worship literature of their Scriptures (Exodus 20:11; Nehemiah 9:6; Psalm 146:6); it begins with an acknowledgement of God’s power and role in the universe – Sovereign Creator.

By starting prayer with a recognition of God’s role in Creation the person praying declares an acceptance of the Lord’s right to rule and their own obligation to obey.

Questions for Consideration

1. Am I sharing the problems I face with other people of faith? Is it a community that I am committed to?
2. Is my fellowship unified in purpose? Can we clearly state our purpose?
3. Do we convene to pray?
4. In our prayers are we acknowledging God’s right to reign and our decision to obey?
5. Pray for your government; ask God to give them wisdom for their work and favor in the discharge of their duties.

Stories That Matter – Your Story (Psalm 13)

¹ How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever?
How long will You hide Your face from me?
² How long shall I take counsel in my soul,
Having sorrow in my heart daily?
How long will my enemy be exalted over me?
³ Consider and hear me, O Lord my God;
Enlighten my eyes,
Lest I sleep the death;
⁴ Lest my enemy say,
“I have prevailed against him”;
Lest those who trouble me rejoice when I am moved.
⁵ But I have trusted in Your mercy;
My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.
⁶ I will sing to the Lord,
Because He has dealt bountifully with me.

David’s Pain (Psalm 13:1-2) – Notice the repetition of “how long.” It stands out in the opening verses as the psalmist’s way of expressing his, as yet, unmet hope of relief. He had been living so long in ongoing discomfort that his pain was erupting in a complaint to the Lord. How long, asks David, will I be forgotten, will your face be turned away, and I live forsaken before my enemies?

• • The Pain of Being Forgotten (Psalm 13:1; Exodus 2:24; Genesis 30:22; Genesis 40:14; Judges 16:28; 1 Samuel 1:11) – When David says You forget me he is speaking in a way that his Hebrew readers would recognize as an unfiltered complaint about not receiving practical help. David is not saying that God’s memory is failing. He is being candid in communicating his disappointment in the Divine decision to leave him so long without real help. “How long, O Lord, will you leave me without practical help?”
  • The Pain of Not Being Faced (Psalm 13:1; Psalm 11:7; Psalm 17:5) – David’s chief desire is to be in face-to-face fellowship with God (Psalm 27:4, 8). His heart, summarily speaking, beats to behold God, longs to look at the Lord, and seeks to see Him. When he says You hide Your face from me David is giving vent to his deepest pain – to not have God’s attention. To see God’s face is to have the privilege of looking at the Lord and, most importantly, to have God look back at you – to see you with approving eyes (Leviticus 26:9; Exodus 2:25). “How long, O Lord, will you not take notice of me. How long will you intentionally ignore me?” He feels like God does not notice him in this moment of difficulty.
  • The Pain of Being Forsaken (Psalm 13:2; Psalm 35:19; Psalm 69:4; ) – David is a man on a mission; he lives to lead the people well. This means leading them in wisdom and against adversaries of God and His heritage. Those who hate God hate David, the representative. It is especially comforting to know that God has your back when you are in trouble for being with Him. It is especially painful to not sense His support when suffering for His sake (Psalm 22:1; Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34).

Speaking my complaint about God to persuade others that He is not good is called blasphemy; it is an attempt to (1) dissuade faith in Him, (2) denigrate His character, and (3) aligns me with His enemy the devil (Genesis 3:4-5). Speaking my complain to God is part of my relationship with Him. He already knows my grief; getting it out actually brings alignment between my conversation and my contemplation. When I share my disappointment with God I am operating with integrity.

David’s Prayer (Psalm 13:3-4) – The distress of the shepherd king was not just in feeling forgotten. He was also dealing with the threat of death. His enemies were not content to malign the man of God; they would be satisfied only when they were able to take his life; the reference to the sleep of death is a Hebraism indicating belief in (1) life beyond the grave and (2) resurrection (John 11:11-15; Acts 7:57-60).

David is not against the eventual laying aside of his earthly tent in order to go and be with God. He is concerned that his cause, and by extension the reputation and goals of God, would be harmed if his enemies could say they had prevailed against him. Their rejoicing would not be merely over the defeat of David but at a win in the war against God. Do this for me, O LORD my God, lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed against him.” The enemies of David are first and foremost enemies of the LORD; David is hated because he is aligned with God (Psalm 69:9):

⁹ Because zeal for Your house has eaten me up,
And the reproaches of those who reproach
You have fallen on me. 

The prayer of David is not a self-absorbed request for relief from his enemies; it is not about him. It really is about God. Can I say that about my prayers? That is, am I so aligned with God’s will that my prayers for help are really about help for doing His will? Listen to Jesus!

⁹ In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
¹⁰ Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:9-10)

David’s Perspective and Praise (Psalm 13:5-6) – Having cleared the air (Psalm 13:1-2) and called for help (Psalm 13:3-4) the psalmist is able to return to worship. Based on what? He returns to rejoicing and singing to the LORD based on his perspective of God.

• • The Loyal Love of God (hesed) – The character of God is not changing with the times. In His character is His mercy or loyal love (hesed) for his people. Circumstances can make it look like God is distant. However, the truth about who He is should help us to escape the gravity of dark meditations (Psalm 1; Philippians 4:8; 1 Timothy 4:15; Joshua 1:8-9).
  • His Experience with God – David has had a good history with God. In the tribulation of our lives we can forget to remember. We can stop regarding out history of God’s great grace. His present and past goodness is the reason why we can keep singing even when things look bad.

Questions for Reflection

• • In the midst of our issues some of us have felt forgotten? What has caused you to feel forgotten, not faced, or forsaken? Based on Psalm 13:1-2, what can you do with your disappointment in your relationship with God?
  • David’s prayers, on the surface, seem to be about himself. What are his real concerns? (Psalm 13:4; 69:9)
  • The strength to sing and the heart to rejoice are the outworking of our perspective. Looking at my circumstances will make me unstable and sometimes unable have a positive attitude. To steady my heart and promote a positive outlook in the midst of my mess what should I focus on? (Psalm 13:5-6)

Prayer

God, I admit my disappointment with how things have been going. In fact, I confess my frustration with Your handling of some things. Thank you for allowing me to be honest about how I feel and revealing Yourself to be approachable.

Help me to align myself with Your will. And as I deal with the difficulties of today and tomorrow keep pushing me to remember how good You are and how good You have been to me. I commit again to praising you through the storm.

References

Kidner, D. (1973). Psalms 1–72: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 15, p. 94). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

Ross, A. P. (1985). Psalms. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, pp. 801–802). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.