“And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.” (Acts 4:31)
Acts 4:31 is a verse of Scripture speaking of an apparent normal activity within the early church. I must confess, as one who has been involved in prayer ministry to churches for about 20 years, this verse describes what I have longed to see commonly happening in corporate prayer meetings. There is a lot happening in this verse.
First of all, ” . . . when they had prayed . . .” — this reveals to us that the whole church had gathered together with a desire to pray. Every believer was empowered with a strong sense of responsibility, a sense of ownership in the crisis at hand. When the Bible says of the early church “they had all things common”, it means they shared everything, even difficulties! They shared burdens. All burdens!
“When they had prayed!” . . . speaks of a corporate meeting . . . or a whole church involvement. This church was one in burden, one in purpose, and one in solution. Isn’t this what Jesus was praying to the Father about in John 17: 21? “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in Me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in Us: that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me.”
This prayer meeting in Acts 4:31 was fulfilling this prayer!
Secondly, “the place where they were assembled together was shaken!”
As these believers lifted their voices together, praying in unity of purpose and passion, the power of God was revealed! God honored this corporate unity with a display of His powerful presence!
Then, “they were all filled with the Spirit.” What many of today’s believers don’t seem to understand, about the blessedness of the prayer meeting, is that corporate prayer has the potential of refreshing and energizing the people of God with the Holy Spirit! The level of each individual’s maturity level has little to do with this biblical principle, it is the unity, the one accord that makes the room empowered.
Finally, “they spoke the Word with boldness!”
When all things were in place, “assembled together”– “prayed in one accord”– “filled with the Spirit”, ‘boldness” was the result!
Beloved believer, what does the church today need most? BOLDNESS TO DO THE WORK OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD! The effective power of God comes to the church, for the service of the church, primarily through the corporate prayer meeting. You know, the meeting that most of the church avoids! Come On, Church, Pray On!