Sovereign God – Hostile Government – Bold Believers

A few weeks ago we started a new sermon series on prayer in the life of the church. We will be looking at prayer in the life of the newborn church in the Book of Acts and we’ll see how the church prayed at crucial times, seasons and opportunities in their life.

This morning we will be in Acts 4, where we find the church in prayer after Peter and John have been released from prison with the commanded not to “speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus”. How does the church respond to such a threat from those with power to persecute with imprisonment and beatings?

The church in Acts 4 prayed, and as they prayed they spoke to God about his sovereignty over the world he made and over every government of every nation. They spoke to God about his promise that His anointed One, King Jesus. And they made three requests: consider their threats, enable your servants to speak with boldness and stretch out your hand to heal and do wonderful works in the name of Jesus.

God wasted no time answering their prayer!