Prayer is How We Fight
Acts 4:23–26 (NASB95)
23When they had been released, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God with one accord and said, “O Lord, it is You who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that is in them, 25who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David Your servant, said, ‘Why did the Gentiles rage, And the peoples devise futile things? 26‘The kings of the earth took their stand, And the rulers were gathered together Against the Lord and against His Christ.’
Acts 4:23-26 describes the early church's response to the Sanhedrin's threats. Upon their release, Peter and John return to their companions and report what transpired. “Their own" likely refers to the entire community of believers, 8,000 strong at this point, which would align with the general pattern in Acts. The subsequent outpouring of the Holy Spirit in verse 31 seems to affect the entire multitude, further suggesting a larger gathering.
The believers respond to the opposition not with fear but with prayer. Their prayer begins by addressing God as "Sovereign Lord" (δέσποτα). They acknowledge God's sovereignty over all creation, declaring Him the Creator of "heaven and earth and sea and everything in them." This affirms God's ultimate power and control, even over those who oppose His will. This echoes a common Jewish prayer form and alludes to Psalm 146:6, which cautions against trusting in human princes.
The believers then quote Psalm 2:1-2, applying it directly to their situation: "Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up, and the rulers band together against the Lord and against His Messiah." They see the opposition from Herod and Pilate, representing Roman power, along with the Jewish rulers, as fulfilling this prophecy. The believers interpret the psalm’s enemies to include the Jewish aristocracy, who were "rulers" (ἄρχοντες) that orchestrated Jesus' crucifixion and are now persecuting His followers. The "peoples," originally referring to the Gentiles, are now understood as the "peoples of Israel" who oppose Jesus. This interpretation reflects the belief that those rejecting Jesus, even within Israel, are aligning themselves with the enemies of God.
This passage emphasizes the importance of prayer when facing opposition. Jesus instructed us in Luke 6:28 to “bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” When we encounter resistance or opposition, our initial response should be to pray to God. Like the early church, we should recognize God's sovereignty and trust in His ability to turn any obstacle into a means for our benefit and the fulfillment of His will. We should also remember that opposition to the Gospel is not surprising; it often indicates that we are on the right path, realizing God's purposes.
Blessings,
Ryan Goodnight