Daily EncouragementSample

“When they heard this” - that is, the report of Peter and John on their release from the Sanhedrin, after being commanded not to speak in the name of Jesus. It was a crisis hour, and they responded not with a committee meeting but with a cry to God in prayer.

Let us face our crisis hours with prayer, particularly when the work and witness of the Church is involved. We shall be blessed if we do this in fellowship and unity with others - “they raised their voices together in prayer to God.” That does not necessarily mean they all prayed at once, although such a practice is not unknown.

Let us pray the kind of prayer they prayed. It began with God and his sovereignty. It was scriptural. It faced the reality of the situation. Its burden was a plea for an increasingly powerful witness rather than for personal protection - “Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness” (verse 29).

Let us expect similar results - “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” (Acts 4:31).