Prayer and Authorities

The early apostles preached the word of God fearlessly and as a result they were arrested and taken before the council. You'll find the record in Acts 4. They were threatened by the council and told not to preach anymore in the name of the Lord Jesus. The reason of course is obvious: the council was controlled by the Sadducees. The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection. The miracle that Peter and John performed in Acts 3 indicates that Jesus Christ was alive and the Sadducees did not want anyone to believe that Jesus was alive. They did not believe in the resurrection.

Now when the apostles were released, Acts 4:23 informs us what they did. They went back to the assembly of God's people and they called a prayer meeting. They did not go picket the council. They did not write nasty letters to their representatives. They did not do anything other than turn to the living God in prayer. Praying is the most important thing the church does next to worshipping, and prayer is a part of worship. In the Book of Acts we find prayer mentioned at least 30 times and here is one of the truly great prayers in the Bible.

Acts 4:23: "And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus." 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.

Now that is quite a prayer. Let's first of all listen to their prayer and then let's watch and see what happened because they prayed. I notice first of all that as they prayed, they prayed because they believed in God's power. Lord, thou art God who hast made heaven and earth and the sea and all that in them is. They prayed to God who is the creator of the world. All of nature looks to God for help and strength and sustenance. Psalm 146 talks about the Creator. Psalm 146:5: "Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God: Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever: Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The Lord looseth the prisoners: The Lord openeth the eyes of the blind: the Lord raiseth them that are bowed down: the Lord loveth the righteous."

You see, when they prayed, oh Lord who made heaven and earth, they were quoting from Psalm 146. The God who created everything is the God who can take care of everything. They believed in God's power. Do you pray to the God who is the Creator and the Sustainer, the God who has all power?

Secondly, I notice that when they prayed, not only did they believe in God's power, but they relied on God's word. They quote from Psalm 2. Why did the nations rage? That's the Gentiles. The peoples imagine a vain thing. That's the Jews. The kings of the earth stood up. That would be Herod. And the rulers were gathered together. That would be Pilate. And they mention this in verse 27: Herod and Pilate, the Gentiles, and the people of Israel. They applied Psalm 2 to their specific situation. In other words, their praying was based on the word of God. If you abide in me and my words abide in you, you shall ask what you will and it shall be done unto you. John 15:7.

So they believed in God's power. They relied on God's word. And they yielded to God's will. Verse 27: all of these people have gathered together. Now verse 28: for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. Now this is not fatalism. This is not just sitting back and saying, well what's going to be is going to be. This is believing that the sovereign God is accomplishing His purposes in this world. How do churches pray about government? How do we pray about the authorities over us? We pray "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." In fact in verse 29: "And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants..." and that word "servants" is the word "bondmen." Grant unto thy bondmen. We are Your servants. And so they prayed believing in God's power. They prayed relying on God's word. They prayed yielded to God's will.

They didn't try to overthrow the government. They didn't go and disrespectfully speak to these who were in places of authority. No, they prayed to the highest authority in the universe. They came to the throne of grace and they said, Lord, thou art God. You don't hear much praying like that today. When something happens with the city council or the state government or the federal government or kings or rulers, when something happens, so many Christians try every other means to get things done except prayer. Now it isn't wrong for Christians to be involved in government, nor is it wrong for us to seek to have good laws enacted. But it is wrong for us to put our faith even in Christian politicians instead of in the Christ who is King of kings and Lord of lords. They were yielded to God's will.

Fourthly, they were burdened for God's glory. And now, Lord, verse 29, behold their threatenings and grant unto thy servants that with all boldness they may speak the word by stretching forth thine hand to heal and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. They said we don't want to pray to escape. Now some people would pray, oh sovereign Lord, send fire down from heaven and destroy these people. They didn't pray like that. God says vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord. They were seeking only to honor the name of the Lord Jesus. They didn't ask for escape. They asked for power. They didn't ask for their circumstances to change. They asked that they might have boldness to use their circumstances, their opportunities, to the glory of God.

Now this is quite a prayer. These people believed in God's power. They relied on God's word. Finally, their praying I notice centers in God. They weren't looking at themselves. They weren't looking at their circumstances. They were looking at God. Thou art God. And now, oh Lord, behold their threatenings. So often our praying centers in ourselves. Well, we have listened to their prayer and we've noticed that this is the way we ought to pray.

Now let's look at the answer that comes. And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. A new enduement of power. Now this was not a second Pentecost. It's done. It's finished. The Spirit has come. There is one baptism but there are many fillings. They were filled with the Holy Spirit. Do you go home from prayer meeting feeling as though you've been filled with the Holy Spirit? Verse 32: and the multitude of those that believed were of one heart and of one soul. They had a new enjoyment of unity. A new enduement of power, a new enjoyment of unity. Prayer ought to unify us. And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord. Throughout the Book of Acts you find the saints of God in one accord. That phrase runs right through the book: in one accord.

Thirdly, a new enablement to witness. Verse 33: with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. The very thing they were told not to do, they did, because God told them to do it. They were witnessing that the resurrected Christ was King of kings and Lord of lords and the Savior of sinners. And there was a new enlargement. The church began to grow. There was giving. Great grace was upon them all.

I wonder if we see this kind of results in our praying today? God's work being strengthened, God's name being glorified, God's enemies being silenced. You see, something happens when churches pray. If they pray believing in God's power. Something happens when churches pray if they pray relying on God's word. Something happens when churches pray if they pray yielded to God's will. Something happens when churches pray if they pray burdened for God's glory. Something happens when churches pray if our praying centers in God and if we're praying that God's name be glorified and God's people be unified and God's work be magnified. Is this the way we are praying?

There are two elements that are lacking in our public worship of God today. The public reading of the Scriptures and public prayer for those who are in places of authority. Paul commanded Timothy: give attendance to reading. 1 Timothy 4:13. Which simply means give attention to the public reading of the word of God.

Secondly, Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 2:1-6 that we should pray publicly for those who are in authority. I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

Paul wrote that praying for those in authority is of number one importance in the local church. I know of no other place in his letters where Paul makes quite that same statement. This is a commandment of God and we had better obey. In our public worship as well as in our private prayers, we should pray for those who are in authority. Now why? Well, let me suggest three reasons.

Number one, we must pray for them for their sake. You see, they are only men. I exhort therefore that first of all, of first importance, with priority, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men. Those who are in places of authority are simply people, human beings, made of clay. And what they are doing, they can only do with the help of God. Now we need to pray for those who are in authority because they are men and women who need God's help. And quite frankly, I don't feel I have the right to criticize or judge someone who's in a place of authority unless I have really prayed for that person.

Secondly, they are ministers. This may come as a surprise to you but it is true. They are ministers. Romans 13: Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. That means judgment. They'll be arrested and they'll be in trouble. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good.

Now three times in this passage, God makes it very clear that these who are in authority are His ministers. They are His servants. Now this comes as a strange thought to some people. How could Almighty God work through unsaved people for example? Proverbs 21:1: The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. Daniel tells us that God is in control of the affairs of the nations. Daniel 2:20: Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding. In Daniel 4:17 we read: This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men. Sometimes God gives us the kind of leaders we really deserve.

Now these verses when you look at them simply tell us that God can work even through unconverted people. He worked through Cyrus. He worked through Artaxerxes. He even was able to accomplish His purposes through Pharaoh, and Pharaoh hated God. You see, you and I have such a low view of the sovereignty of God that we don't really believe that when we pray for people in authority, God can work. If the truth were known, we'd find out that the machinery of the world is run by prayer. Someone says, but wait just a minute, these people persecute Christians. That's right. In Acts 4 we find the saints praying to God after they had been arrested and threatened. And how did they pray? Did they pray oh God, we pray that you will send fire from heaven and destroy these people? No. They asked God in Acts 4, beginning at verse 23, they asked God to give them power and boldness to do the work of God, to accomplish the purposes of God on this earth.

Secondly, we must pray for them for the church's sake. We must pray for kings and for all that are in authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior. We pray for those in authority so that our circumstances might be quiet. That means tranquil on the outside. And that our own hearts might be peaceable. That means calmness on the inside. You see, that we may lead a quiet life, circumstances around us, and a peaceable life, our peace within our own hearts. That there might be godliness, that's our relationship to God, honesty or dignity, respect, that's our relationship to others.

You see, as our prayers go up to God, something ought to happen to our character. If I'm really praying for those in authority, I will be a peacemaker and not a troublemaker. Paul wrote and told us that we should be very careful as much as we possibly can live peaceably with all men. Now sometimes you can't. But we should leave all vengeance to God. We are not supposed to create problems for people. Now sometimes with our faith we create problems. There are those who don't agree with our faith. But that's something God has to take care of.

Thirdly, we must pray for those in authority for the sake of lost sinners. Why do we pray for people in authority? So that God might be able to work through government to give us the opportunity to win the lost. I could not preach over the radio right now were it not for the authority in Washington D.C. because there are laws that permit me to preach the word of God, I can do it. And we must pray that God will continue to keep the doors open. That there might constantly be freedom for us to pass out tracts, to preach if we want to, to witness to others.

You see, it's all wrapped up in the Great Commission. Not for or against one side or the other in politics or war, but for the will of God to be done. There's nothing wrong with Christians trying to exercise godly influence in government. Daniel and Joseph, Esther, they were in government. And in the early church there were people in authority who were Christians. But what Paul is saying is this: we must pray for those in authority first of all. That's the important thing. Then after we have prayed, then we can do something about legislation and influencing those who have office. We must pray for their sake. They are just people. They are the ministers of God and God can use them and work through them in spite of themselves. Are you praying daily for those who are in authority? Now if you're not, I suggest you start. Is your church praying regularly for those who are in authority? Something happens when churches pray, because that's when God begins to work.