We can read the book of Acts in the Bible and see that the early church was a powerful church. The message of Christ was proclaimed throughout the land with signs and wonders following the preaching of Christ. People were ministered to in the communities at their point of need. The ministry of Christ continued in the power of the Holy Spirit, resulting in a justice revival driven by faith. The Kingdom was enlarged.
The early church was a praying church. The Apostle Paul placed emphasis on prayer in his teachings to the church. His teachings on prayer encouraged early followers of Christ to:
- Pray about everything.
- Pray all the time.
- Pray in the Spirit.
- Pray for each other.
- Pray for those who preach the Gospel of Christ.
Beloved, prayer will ignite and fuel a justice revival in our day that will flow out of the church house and into the community. Be a person of prayer. Pray about everything. Pray all the time. Pray in the Spirit. Pray for brothers and sisters in Christ. Pray for those who preach the Gospel of Christ.
SCRIPTURE: “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should” (Ephesians 6:18-20, TNIV).
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I thank you for the many examples that you have given us in your Word. Today I specifically thank you for the example given by the church in the book of Acts. I pray for the church in our day. Father, we need a justice revival driven by faith to sweep through the church, flooding into the streets and communities. It will happen with prayer. Give people a burden to pray in our day. Intensify my desire to pray about everything, to pray all the time, to pray in the Spirit, to pray for brothers and sisters in Christ, and to pray for those who faithfully preach Jesus. I pray this in Jesus’s name. Amen.
(The above is excerpted from the book, Be Encouraged: A Daily Devotional, Volume 2, by Gregory A. Johnson. Copyright © by Gregory A. Johnson. All rights reserved. For a complete list of books, visit amazon.com/author/gregoryjohnson).
Know that you are loved,
gaj