after they prayed

We just began a new preaching series this week called "The Journey" where we are going through the book of Acts and seeing how the disciples lived out the mission that Jesus gave them.

In chapters 3-4 we read about how Peter and John (early leaders in the church) were arrested and threatened to stop preaching...but refused. 

Upon their release, the immediate reaction of the church was to pray.  Not to celebrate, not to take up an offering, not to relax...but to pray to the God who had brought them home and thank Him for his divine hand upon them!

Then, in vs. 31 of chapter 4, we read this amazing statement, "After they prayed"
 
Not before they prayed.  
After.
God waited to act until his people prayed.  God can act anytime, but He acted once His people prayed.
 
It goes on.  "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."
 
It may be that God is waiting until we pray.  So what are we waiting for?

Get off your phone and onto your knees.  Once we humble ourselves and pray, God may do a movement in us like He did in them.
I pray that we too may be filled with His Holy Spirit so that we may be shaken, so that we may speak the word of God boldly."
 
​Amen.

In Christ,
Pastor Scott