The power-generating prayer meeting the early disciples held for Peter wasn’t a one-time event. They released the same kind of power again when the religious authorities threatened the apostles and ordered them not to preach any more about Jesus. Acts chapter four tells us the Church responded to those threats by calling a prayer meeting that brought such an outpouring of spiritual power that it shook the building.
In truth, it rocked the whole region!
That prayer meeting not only provided the boldness and liberty the apostles needed to keep preaching in Jesus’ name, it produced power enough for them to work miracles that stunned the city. The rivers of resurrection power that were released brought forth so much divine life that in Acts chapter five we find:
• Many signs and wonders being done among the people
• Believers increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women
• The sick brought out into the streets so that the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on them and they would be healed
• Multitudes gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits and they were all healed
When the religious leaders tried once again to stop that flow of resurrection power by imprisoning the apostles, an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors, brought them out, and said, “Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life” (Acts 5:20).
Why did the prayers of the early believers produce such region-rocking results? How were they able to bring such miracle-working power on the scene? They prayed expecting God to answer!
They prayed in faith, believing their prayers would make much power available, dynamic in its working!
Unlike we so often do today, they didn’t pray just hoping something would happen. They didn’t pray as a matter of form or religious duty. They prayed because they expected their prayers to change things. They prayed believing that, just as Jesus said, whatever they asked in His name would be done.
Like Elijah, they prayed with the kind of faith that makes things rock and roll!
Scripture Reading: Acts 4:1 – 31
On the chilly March night in 1972 when Lynne Hammond took her first step into a life of Spirit-led prayer, she had no idea what was about to happen. All she knew was the hunger in her heart for God wouldn’t let her sleep. In the few short months she’d been born again, her desire to fellowship with Him had grown so strong she could hardly contain it. “Help me, God!” she cried. “I want to know you. I want to be able to talk to you. Please, teach me to pray!”
Suddenly, a heavenly presence flooded the room. Lynne sensed waves of spiritual fire sweeping over her and a beautiful language began to flow like a river from within her. Although she’d never heard of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, she knew instantly, without a doubt—this was God!
What began that night soon blossomed into a life of prayer that ultimately became a ministry of prayer when, in 1980, Lynne and her husband, Mac, founded Living Word Christian Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Under Lynne’s leadership, the prayer ministry at Living Word has become an internationally recognized model for developing effective pray-ers in the local church.
A teacher and an author, Lynne publishes a newsletter called Prayer Notes, has written numerous books, and currently serves as the national prayer director for Daughters for Zion. Her passion for inspiring and leading others into the life of Spirit-led prayer continues to take her around the world to minister to believers whose heart cry, like hers, is “Lord, teach me to pray!”