This world screams for our attention. “Alarm! Danger! The disaster is here! The attack is here! This is emergency mode! Defend yourself!” This world’s presence is panic mode. But we should live in a different reality.
In Acts 3, Peter and James heal a cripple man. In Acts 4, they are jailed and threatened for preaching about Jesus. The threats against them were credible. Jesus had just been publicly and brutally killed.
How would we react? How did the disciples react? They gathered for prayer.
The summary of their prayer recorded in Acts 4:23-31 is as follows:
v.24 – God is Creator and sovereign over all.
v.25-26 – (Quoting Psalm 2) rulers that oppose God are fighting a losing battle (Psalm 2:4 says God laughs and scoffs at them).
v. 27-28 – The attack on Jesus was God’s plan all along.
v. 29 – “Consider their threats” … these three words concluded all their concerns for personal safety.
v. 29-30 – request for more anointing for the Kingdom work.
When we are threatened, we panic and bring the world’s evil to God’s attention. The Apostles did the opposite. They, in confidence, brought the anointing of the Kingdom to this world.
Our prayers should focus on the glory and power of God. All the threats the world throws at us could be boiled down to three words, “Lord, consider their threats.”