Resources/Articles
When People Pray
When they had prayed,
the place where they were
assembled together was shaken.
Acts 4:31
Peter and John were in danger. The religious leaders in Jerusalem opposing the gospel had warned them to cease their missionary efforts (Acts 4:18). When the apostles reported this to the other believers, they immediately came together to pray.
What happened next is amazing. The believers first praised God, then asked for boldness to continue the work of teaching the good news. The house shook, and the believers were filled with the Holy Spirit. They boldly spake the word of God and later there was spiritual unity and unselfish giving to those in need (vv. 31-37).
I have never been in a building where, after a prayer, the building shook, but I have witnessed God’s power at work from prayer. When you teach a lost soul the gospel for the first time, when you admonish a divided church, or when you teach a couple in a broken marriage, in every case we have prayed. No one has refused the blessing of prayer yet. Some ask for our prayers. In many instances, the building did not shake, but the lives of those involved were moved to change. It was as if there was an immediate change in their attitudes, words, and actions. They were receptive. They wanted to do better before the Lord. There were no accusations, criticisms, or debates. It was replaced with understanding, humility, and hope.
When we pray sincerely, praising God and seeking His glory and help, great things happen. When hearts are in the right place, sincere supplications and intercessions become the key to God’s intervention.
