Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
Pray for Boldness in the Name of Jesus
"And when they had prayed, 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
A meeting of religious leaders had gathered in Jerusalem and they were annoyed by the missionary efforts of Peter and John (Acts 4:1-18). You see, Peter and John were out teaching and proclaiming the Gospel, and these leaders were trying to shut them down. They were questioned about what authority they had to do this teaching, and they responded that their authority came from the name of Jesus. When word spread to other believers about the effort to shut them down, they began praying. They did not give in to fear and threats; they started praying for boldness. God answered!
I know of situations where religious leaders and people in authority have attempted to shut down and discourage the work of Christ for reasons they feel are justifiable. Today, we have examples where people are praying and reading scripture on the street and being told to stop, and some have even been arrested with no clear evidence they are breaking the law. We also encounter situations that bring on personal discouragement and fear that keep us from fulfilling what God wants to do in our lives. May we not fall into the traps of despair and judgment but rather call on Jesus. The Lord wants the Gospel to be shared, people to be praying, and ministry to be happening that glorifies Him, so all the world will know that He gave His life for us to have life abundant and eternal. As a follower of Christ, may you pursue what God has called you to do in the name of Jesus despite the hurdles you may need to overcome. Today would be a good day for you to pray and call others to pray.
May you gather with fellow believers to pray for boldness to go and proclaim the gospel. I encourage you to also pray that religious leaders and those in authority would not hinder the work of the gospel.
Heavenly Father, we praise You, Lord, that You give us the authority to go and proclaim the gospel. Lord Jesus, may we call out in Your name as we pray for boldness to daily share the gospel and to live our life in a way that glorifies You. Lord Jesus, I also ask that we, as leaders in churches and communities, not hinder the work of the gospel but that you would position each of us to lead or cheer others who are championing the cause of Christ. In Jesus Name, Amen.
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I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4
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