The early church, namely the church of the book of Acts, presents to us an unbeatable pattern of prayer. How they prayed should be our utmost desire and envy. Their fervency in prayer was an over-flow of their minute-by-minute dependence on God. As persecution and suffering mounted, prayer issued from their hearts like an untapped fountain. And as they prayed, you can't help but sense as you read the text, a joy that is otherworldly. In Acts chapter 4, when their leaders Peter and John were put in prison, it unleashed a torrent of prayer that resulted in an in-filling of the Holy Spirit. Their praying was:
SPONTANEOUS - Acts 4:24 - Unrehearsed and united
SPIRIT-FILLED - Acts 4:31 - Only Spirit-filled saints can pray Spirit-filled prayers.
SCRIPTURAL - Acts 4:24-28 - Their praying was according to the revealed truth they knew from the writings of the Old Testament and from the revelation they had received from the mouths of the Apostles.
SCRIPTURAL - Acts 4:24-28 - Their praying was according to the revealed truth they knew from the writings of the Old Testament and from the revelation they had received from the mouths of the Apostles.
Oh, how I long for a church that will pray like this!
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