Prayer Devotional - Thursday

Devotionals

Begin by finding a quiet place. Get comfortable, but not too comfortable so that you go to sleep! Do not answer the phone ? in fact, turn your cell phone off before you start. Grab a couple of pieces of paper or a notebook and a pencil or a pen. Use one piece of paper as your offloading sheet. Any time some concern or to-do threatens to interrupt your prayer, just jot it down and let it go. You?ll come back later. Then you can get back to your reflection unencumbered. Use the other piece of paper to take notes based on the direction below.

PRAYER BASED ON REFLECTIONS FROM ACTS 4:23-31

1. Let?s start by reading Acts 4:23-31.

²³ Peter and John were allowed to leave. They went back to their own people. They reported everything the chief priests and the elders had said to them. ²⁴ When the believers heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. "Lord and King," they said, "you made the heavens, the earth and the sea. You made everything in them. ²⁵ Long ago you spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of our father David, who served you. You said,
" 'Why are the nations angry?
Why do the people make useless plans?
²⁶ The kings of the earth take their stand against the Lord.
The rulers of the earth gather together against his Anointed King.'

²⁷ "In fact, Herod and Pontius Pilate met together in this city with those who weren't Jews. They also met with the people of Israel. All of them made plans against your holy servant Jesus. He is the one you anointed. ²⁸ They did what your power and purpose had already decided should happen. ²⁹ Now, Lord, consider the bad things they say they are going to do. Help us to be very bold when we speak your word. ³⁰ Stretch out your hand to heal. Do miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus."

³¹ After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit. They were bold when they spoke God's word.
Acts 4:23-31

2. This prayer follows the arrest of Peter and John. They had healed a man and crowds were praising them. The religious rulers were threatening Peter and John but ultimately released them because the people were so impressed by what happened. This ended up affirming Peter and John?s confidence that God is in control. Even though the rulers had planned to do them harm, they could not. See especially the believers? prayer above verses 27 and 28.
3. Make another list today of the things that this passage teaches us about God. Use this list as the basis for your praise. Just as the believers began their prayer with praise, so should you begin this morning by praising God!
4. Are there any truths from this passage that cause you to reflect on yourself? For example, are you ever in the camp of being angry or making useless plans? Are you ever standing against the Lord? Do you live your life with a healthy understanding of God?s sovereignty before you? Spend some time reflecting on these truths with your own life in mind. Ask God to show you more of your own heart and spirit. If need be confess things that He brings to mind that are troubling. And thank God for making you a new person inside.
5. Let God bring four or five people to your mind who do not know His love. Spend some time praying for them. Pray especially that you would be bold in speaking His word into their lives.
6. Now let God bring four or five people to your mind who need physical or emotional healing. Pray that God would stretch out His hand to heal in the name of Jesus.
7. Next, pray for your own needs. Focus on what your concerns are for today. As long-term concerns come up pray for the strength to do today what you need to do about them. This is the time to bring to God?s attention the list you created on your offloading sheet.
8. Jot down any final thoughts. This could be positive feelings. This could be more offloading concerns. This could be questions. It could even be some struggle you have discovered. Thanks God that He is in control (remember Joshua?s acknowledgement that God is sovereign) and that everything is in His hands.