Reformation Must Lead Us to Prayer

By Dave Jenkins
Always Reforming: Fidelity to God’s Word in Every Generation

When Peter and John returned to the believers in Acts 4, they brought news of a direct threat. The authorities had commanded them to stop speaking and teaching in the name of Jesus. Faithful gospel ministry had brought opposition, and the church now faced the possibility of further suffering.

The believers responded by praying together. They brought the threats before the Lord, confessed His sovereign rule, remembered His Word, and asked Him for courage to continue speaking the truth.

Their response teaches us something essential about the ongoing work of reformation. A church seeking to bring its beliefs and practices under Scripture must depend on the God who gave that Word. We need His wisdom to understand the truth, His grace to receive correction, and His strength to obey when faithfulness becomes costly.

Acts 4:23–31 shows us how biblical convictions should shape the prayers of God’s people.

Prayer Begins with the God Who Reigns

The believers begin by addressing God as the “Sovereign Lord” who made heaven, earth, the sea, and everything in them (Acts 4:24). The authorities opposing them possessed real power, but the church understood that all creation remained under God’s rule.

This truth gave them somewhere to bring their fear.

We need that same confidence. Pastors face difficult decisions. Church members endure illness, grief, temptation, and strained relationships. Congregations encounter pressure to soften biblical teaching or measure faithfulness by visible success. These burdens can consume our attention until we struggle to see beyond them.

Prayer brings our circumstances before the Lord who rules over them. We acknowledge our weakness while remembering His wisdom, holiness, goodness, and power.

God’s sovereignty gives His people confidence to ask for help. The Lord who governs all things has commanded us to pray and has appointed prayer as a means through which He accomplishes His purposes. His rule encourages dependence and faithful action.

A church growing in its understanding of God should grow in its willingness to seek Him.

God’s Word Shapes the Church’s Prayers

In Acts 4:25–26, the believers draw from Psalm 2. They remember the nations raging and rulers gathering against the Lord and His Anointed. Scripture helps them understand the opposition they are facing.

They then recall how Herod, Pontius Pilate, the Gentiles, and the people of Israel gathered against Jesus. Even the crucifixion took place within God’s sovereign purpose (Acts 4:27–28). Human wickedness could not overthrow His saving plan.

The church prayed with an understanding of God’s character and Christ’s work that came from Scripture. They could face the present because God’s Word taught them how to understand it.

This is one practical expression of biblical authority. Scripture should shape our requests, our priorities, and our expectations as we pray.

As we read a passage, we can consider what it reveals about God, what sin it exposes, what promise it gives, and what obedience it requires. We can then bring those matters before Him. A passage about forgiveness should lead us to confess bitterness and seek grace to forgive. A passage about Christ’s care should teach us to entrust our anxieties to Him.

In this way, the Word we study becomes truth we bring before the Lord in faith.

Christ Gives Us Confidence to Draw Near

The believers’ prayer centers on Jesus, God’s Anointed One. The Savior whom the rulers opposed is the One through whom God accomplished redemption.

Our confidence in prayer rests in this same Christ.

Sin separates us from God. We cannot establish a right standing before Him through religious activity, theological knowledge, or the consistency of our prayers. Jesus Christ obeyed perfectly, died for sinners, and rose from the dead. Everyone who trusts in Him is justified through faith, receiving a righteousness that comes from Christ.

Because Jesus is our great High Priest, believers may approach God’s throne for mercy and grace in their need (Hebrews 4:14–16).

This matters when we recognize how weak our prayer lives have become. We may feel ashamed of our distraction, inconsistency, or self-reliance. We should confess those sins honestly and return to the Father through His Son. Christ’s sufficiency gives repentant believers confidence to come.

The gospel that the Reformation helped recover gives weary Christians a firm foundation for prayer. Our acceptance with God rests in the finished work of Jesus.

Pray for Courage to Obey

The church asks God to consider the threats and enable His servants to continue speaking His Word with boldness (Acts 4:29). They also ask Him to work through the name of Jesus (verse 30).

Their prayer takes the danger seriously. At the same time, their request shows a settled commitment to the mission Christ had given them. They want strength to remain faithful under pressure.

We need to pray with that same concern for obedience.

A pastor may need courage to preach a difficult passage. A church member may need to speak honestly with someone caught in sin. A parent may need patience and clarity in teaching a child. A Christian may need to acknowledge Christ openly among unbelieving friends.

We can bring each of these situations before the Lord and ask for the help faithfulness requires.

Biblical boldness also carries a biblical manner. First Peter 3:15 calls believers to explain their hope with gentleness and respect. We should ask God for speech that is clear, truthful, patient, and loving.

Prayer teaches us to seek His strength for both the truth we speak and the way we speak it.

Recover Prayer in the Life of the Church

Acts 4 describes believers lifting their voices to God together. Their shared faith found expression in shared dependence.

Congregational prayer deserves a meaningful place in the church’s life. When we pray together, we acknowledge that our pastors, elders, families, missionaries, and ministries need the Lord’s care. We learn to carry one another’s burdens and seek the good of people whose needs differ from our own.

Pray for your pastor as he studies and preaches. Ask God to help the congregation understand and obey the passage being taught. Pray for those who are grieving, members struggling with temptation, and children learning the truths of the faith. Ask the Lord to save unbelievers and strengthen Christians facing persecution.

These prayers help us love the church in concrete ways.

We can also prepare for gathered worship through prayer during the week. Read the upcoming sermon passage when it is available. Pray for a teachable heart. Remember a member’s burden and follow up with that person.

A church’s commitment to prayer grows as its members learn to seek the Lord for one another.

Persevere in Dependence on God

Acts 4:31 records God’s answer. The believers were filled with the Holy Spirit and continued speaking God’s Word with boldness. The Lord supplied strength for the obedience they had sought.

That dependence remained necessary throughout the church’s life. Years later, Paul instructed believers to persevere in prayer for all the saints. He also asked them to pray that he would proclaim the gospel boldly, even while he was in chains (Ephesians 6:18–20).

Spiritual maturity deepens our need for God’s help. Experience in ministry never makes prayer unnecessary.

Some burdens remain for years. A loved one continues in unbelief. A congregation moves slowly through a difficult season. A believer repeatedly brings the same weakness before the Lord.

We can persevere because our Father hears us through Christ. He knows what His people need and supplies grace for faithful service. We may entrust the timing and results to Him while continuing in the obedience His Word requires.

Let Reformation Shape Our Prayers

The ongoing work of reformation reaches into the way we depend on God. His Word teaches us who He is, gives us confidence in Christ, and directs us to seek His help.

Let us bring our churches, homes, temptations, and fears before Him. Let us ask for understanding as we read Scripture, humility when we receive correction, and courage when obedience becomes difficult.

Our faithful Savior continues to care for His people. We can come to the Father through Him with confidence, asking for grace to believe His Word and walk in its truth.

Continue Growing in Biblical Faithfulness

Explore more articles in Always Reforming: Fidelity to God’s Word in Every Generation.

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