April 3: SHAKEN BY PRAYER

After the cross, Peter was truly converted. It was the cross that sifted Peter all the way into the church. It changed him. It shook him up! He went from merely speaking allegiance to the Lord with his lips (Luke 22:33) to a willingness to die rather than lose faith. Shaking is not all bad. Historically, the church has been purified by the shaking that comes through persecution. So great was Peter’s love for Jesus that he was transformed into a stalwart leader and God’s instrument in helping to plant the Apostolic Church.

How many of us have prayed for persecution? It may seem absurd to ask such a question, but in these last days just before the Lord’s return, it may be fruitful to stop and ponder. If I am settled into a period or a church where there is no persecution, it’s likely that my life is not a threat to the devil. But a determination to live consistently godly will arouse the devil’s hatred. Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. (2 Timothy 3:12-13)

The message that Jesus brought was disturbing, to say the least. Many who were born into the chosen nation were sifted out (see Matthew 8:12) while foreigners were sifted in (v.11). Many who, by heritage, were members of the assembly – the children of Israel – missed the Lord’s purpose behind the message of salvation: transformation of the heart. At the same time, strangers eagerly embraced the message, humbly recognizing their need. Indeed, this was a very disturbing message that Jesus brought to His own during His first coming. Before He comes again, that history is going to be repeated. Unfortunately, ‘His own’ professed followers have compromised with the world to the extreme of replacing Biblical principles with man-made ones.

One of the things that brings about a shaking is prayer. Prayer brings revival. Prayer shakes things up! After being severely beaten and thrown into prison, Paul and Silas were to be closely watched by the jailer. Having received such a charge, [the jailer] put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed (Acts 16:24-26). The rest of this amazing story shows that the prayers of believers can bring about the liberation of others from the chains of sin, including the jailer! We need this kind of boldness. It’s not that we want to be obnoxious, but prayer is an invitation to the Holy Spirit to provide a winsome boldness.

And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness. Acts 4:31