Dig Deeper - Acts Chapter 4: Together in Prayer

Pastor Dodge gives us the 5th "P" from his list of "p's from last Sunday's message.  If you would like to look at that message, "God ACTS! Chapter 4" go here: https://www.awakeusnow.com/god-acts-then-now (scroll to that title). This message was a study of Acts 4:1-22. In this class we look at Acts 4:23-31.   Here's the list he shared surrounding chapter 4: Prophecy Power Proclamation Passion And the 5th one? Prayer  The believers gather together for prayer. As they pray they include a part of David's prophetic prayer that he had written a thousand years earlier. Acts 4:25-26  "You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: 'Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed one.'" (The italicized words in the prayer are quoted from David's writings in Psalm 2:1-2) Pastor points out the words "anointed one" are one word in the original Greek text - Χριστός - it's the word "Christos" meaning "the anointed one" as we see it translated here in the NIV. It also means "Messiah." The word used for "his anointed" in the original Hebrew text for Psalm 2:1-2 is - מָשִׁיחַ - it is the word "Meshiach" meaning "anointed" as we see it translated in Psalm 2 in the NIV. It also means "Messiah." As we continue to read the next verses we see that what David had foretold in Psalm 2, we see happening/fulfilled in this story in Acts. In the next verses (29-30) we read the rest of their prayer: "Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus."   Again we see "the Name" which Pastor explored on Sunday's message, "God ACTS! Chapter 4" here: https://www.awakeusnow.com/god-acts-then-now (scroll to that title) The group of believers did not retreat in terror, they asked the Lord for the ability to proclaim Jesus' name with boldness and request the Lord does healings, signs and wonders. They redouble their commitment to God. The result? Their prayer is answered! Acts 4:31 concludes: "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." They are refilled with the Holy Spirit!  And they share, preach, teach and speak of God boldly! Their prayer is a summation of all the points Peter and John had spoken and the actions they displayed before the Sanhedrin. Now in this prayer by the believers, Peter and John's words and actions are agreed upon, prayed upon and acted upon by these believers in Jerusalem.  Their prayer is for proclaiming the prophetic Scriptures and Good News of Jesus' death and resurrection, and for welcoming the power of the Holy Spirit to make them bold to share. We see their passion in their life-time commitments to follow Him no matter the cost, no matter what, until He returns.     And that's where we need to be as well. May we act and pray as they did!      Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE.   View live or on demand: https://www.awakeusnow.com/tuesday-bible-class   For the full list of videos in this series, Dig Deeper, https://www.awakeusnow.com/dig-deeper   For more check out our Sunday series, God ACTS! https://www.awakeusnow.com/god-acts-then-now   Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service   Or watch from our Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/@AwakeUsNow/streams   Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.