Daily Archive

The danger of those things we consider most fundamental to Christian living and the health of a church is taking them for granted.  Taking a look at the early church in Acts, the nearness of God was evident as they prayed for just about every situation.  It was natural that, when the church gathered, prayer dominated their fellowship.  As they waited for “power on high” in the upper room, they were “with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer” (Acts 1:14). After Pentecost, the thousands of new believers in Christ had “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers” (Acts 2:42).  This church, when their elders were released, prayed together such that “the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness” (Acts 4:31).  When Peter was imprisoned, Luke records that “earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church” (Acts 12:5) such that when he was miraculously released, he found them still “gathered together and were praying” at the house of Mary (Acts 12:12).

Prayer was especially seen in the early church in the commissioning of leaders for the sake of the mission.  Beginning in Acts 1, Scripture says,

And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen 25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place” (Acts 1:24-25).

When the apostles had committed to “devote themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:4), the congregation set deacons before the apostles who “prayed and laid hands on them” (Acts 6:6).  When Ananias was to find the man who would eventually bring the gospel to the Gentile world, Jesus told him to “look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying” (Acts 9:11).  The Antioch church commissioned the first missionaries, Paul and Barnabas by “fasting and praying” (Acts 13:3).  In the same manner, when these men had planted churches in the cities they traveled, they “appointed elders . . . with prayer and fasting, committing them to the Lord in whom they had believed” (Acts 14:23).  Whether it was determining the apostle who would replace Judas, the deacons who would serve the church, the missionaries who would be sent out, or the elders appointed in the churches planted, prayer was the essential and key ingredient.

Prayer was evidenced not only corporately but individually.  Peter and John prayed that the Samaritans might receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:15).  Cornelius was a man known as one who “prayed continually before God” (Acts 10:2) whose prayers “ascended as a memorial before God” (Acts 10:4).  Peter again, when approaching a city, went up to pray about the sixth hour (Acts 10:9).  When Paul and Silas were imprisoned at Philippi, Luke records that Paul and Silas “were praying and singing hymns to God” about midnight (Acts 16:25). Finally, for both Peter and Paul, prayer was essential in their healing ministry.  In the case of Peter, he prayed alone to God prior to raising Tabitha from the dead (Acts 9:40); in the case of Paul, he prayed for the father of Publius who was sick with fever and dysentery, laid hands on him, and healed him (Acts 28:8).

These are just some of the instances we find the pervasive influence of prayer in the life of the early church.  If prayer was so crucial to the vitality and growth of the early church, how are we to expect God to bless our efforts unless we are devoted to prayer both individually and corporately as the body of Christ?  May God us a passion for prayer more than growth, success, or anything else.  If we have Christ, we have everything.  May we pray to Him in faith and live in light of that reality!