The Dangerous Prayer That Produces Dangerous Disciples

Read: Acts 4:23-31

Acts 4:23–31 KJV 1900

23 And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. 24 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: 25 Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? 26 The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. 27 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, 28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. 29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, 30 By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. 31 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.

Introduction

David prayed:

"Search me."

Hannah prayed:

"Break me."

Moses prayed:

"Show me Thy glory."

Tonight we come to perhaps the most dangerous prayer of all.

Not because it asks God to search us.

Not because it asks God to break us.

Not because it asks God to reveal Himself.

But because it asks God to use us.

Imagine for a moment that one of those early believers from the New Testament church could walk into one of our prayer meetings tonight.

Suppose Peter slipped through the back door.

Or John.

Or one of those unnamed saints who gathered in that shaking prayer meeting after the threats of the Sanhedrin.

They sit quietly and listen as we pray.

What would they hear?

They would hear us praying for our health.

And there is nothing wrong with that.

They would hear us praying for our families.

And there is nothing wrong with that.

They would hear us praying for financial needs.

They would hear us praying for doctor's appointments.

They would hear us praying for traveling mercies.

And again, there is nothing wrong with any of those things.

But after listening for a while, I wonder if they might ask us a question:

"When are you going to pray about the mission?"

Because when the early church was threatened, they did not gather to pray for safety.

They gathered to pray for boldness.

When they were opposed, they did not pray:

"Lord, remove the danger."

They prayed:

"Lord, help us speak anyway."

When their future became uncertain, they did not ask God to make their lives easier.

They asked God to make them stronger.

Acts 4 unfolds in three movements that demonstrate how dangerous prayers reshape believers into bold witnesses.

1. The Crisis that Presses Them to Pray

Dangerous disciples are not born in comfort but in conflict

A. The Pressure They Faced

Peter & John healed the lame man

Preach Jesus and the resurrection (5,000 men

Arrested, questioned and...

Threatened by the same council that killed Jesus.

Outnumbered, outpowered, out-positioned.

B. The Power They Displayed

The consequences are serious.

But Peter speaks “filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Yet notice what impresses the council.

Acts 4:13 “13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.”

They were not professional theologians

Not highly educated scholars

Ordinary men

Yet...Their boldness shocks the council.

The council could explain neither the miracle nor the courage.

The only explanation they could find was:

“they had been with Jesus.”

C. The Principle We Learn

Crisis doesn’t create boldness; it reveals whether we’ve been with Jesus.

When the world tries to silence the church, the Spirit empowers the church.

The crisis proved that a "holy and brave mouth" is not the product of human talent or learning but is "made by praying, by much praying"

The greatest credential for Christian witness is not education, personality, or talent.

It is having been with Jesus.

Spending time with him in prayer - I would say even dangerous praying.

2. The Courage that Pours From Their Prayer

When Peter and John return to the church, something remarkable happens.

They do not panic.

They do not organize a protest.

They go to the One they had been noted to have spent time with

They pray:

They do not pray for escape.

They pray the longest corporate prayer in in the New Testament outside the Gospel —and the most dangerous.

And what they pray reveals their priorities.

A. Their Address: “Sovereign Lord”

1. First, they acknowledge God as Sovereign Lord.

Acts 4:24 KJV 1900

24 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:

The typical word in the New Testament that is normally translated as “Lord” in the New Testament is the Greek word, “Kyrios” -

Kyrios - means “king” and refers to Authority, rule, covenant relationship. It emphasizes legality in how someone acts. It denotes authority that operates within recognizable boundaries and moral constraints. It is used 749 times in the New Testament.

But here in Acts 4:24 there is a Greek word used by those praying, found only 10 times in the New Testament and is used in prayer addressing God only three times. One of those being our text.

It is the Greek word, despotēs - it is seen as an unusual and politically charged word. This word is actually where we get our English word “despot”

It was the title saved for the Roman Emperor - who held absolute, unchecked power of life and death over his subjects.

Also remember they had just been called in before the Sanhedrin - the highest human authority in Israel. - they held all the power.

But here we find the Apostles opening their prayer with - despotēs - Thou art God!!!

despotēs - means more than just being king -

Thayer: denotes its meaning as “absolute ownership and uncontrolled power”

despotēs - Always implies a master–slave relationship

Think: Lord as absolute owner, sovereign ruler, the One with total rights over His servants.

So these recently accosted, harassed, and persecuted apostles - deliberately address God as:

“The One with absolute authority over all authorities.”

You could say - the early church was executing a brilliant piece of political and spiritual subversion. They were essentially looking at the Sanhedrin and Rome and saying, "You think you are the rulers with absolute power? You're middle management. We are talking to the real Boss."

THEY BEGIN WITH GOD’S RULE, NOT THEIR FEAR!!!

2. They Reframe Their Persecution as Prophecy

They go back to Psalm 2 - in Acts 4:25 invoking David’s ancient question:

“Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?”

They then apply this directly to their situation -

“The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ”

They’re claiming that what happened to them was not a surprise or deviation from God’s plan but rather the fulfillment of Scripture and prophecy itself.

What I love about this - is it totally reframes their persecution -

“The apostles recognize that this ancient pattern has now materialized in their own moment. The Sanhedrin and Rome, thinking they exercise independent authority, are actually fulfilling what God spoke centuries before through David. Their opposition becomes evidence of God’s sovereignty, not a threat to it.”

The authorities imagine they hold power, but God sits enthroned, unmoved.

Notice their prayer...

B. Their Ask: Three Dangerous Requests

1. “Consider their threats” Acts 4:29

Acts 4:29 “...And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: ...”

They don’t pray for God to remove the threats

They don’t pray for God to rescue them from the threats

They just ask God to remember the threatenings they were under -

That word “behold” means “open your eyes” they want God to see what they were being threatened with - but the word also conveys a judicial attention - not just to merely glance at it.

Think of a judge reviewing the evidence of a case

but notice they don’t ask God to do anything about them -

It's almost as if they are saying:

"Lord, we're placing this whole matter in Your hands."

"You know the threats."

"You see the danger."

"You understand the pressure."

"Just keep it before You."

you could put it this way, “Just keep them on Your desk, Lord”

Most of our modern anxiety comes from trying to manage things that don't belong on our desk. When we pray "safety prayers," we are usually trying to tell God how to fix the problem so we can feel comfortable.

The apostles understood that the threats were completely outside their control. By saying "behold their threats," they are clearing their own desks of the anxiety of outcomes. They are telling God, "You own the opposition. We just own the obedience."

2. “Grant us boldness to speak Your word.”

They were less concerned about changing their circumstances than they were about remaining faithful within their circumstances.

"Grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word."

This is dangerous.

Because they are asking for the very thing that will place them in greater danger.

They are not asking for protection from the mission.

They are asking for power to complete the mission.

Bravery and boldness - A "Brave Mouth": The crisis proved that a "holy and brave mouth" is not the product of human talent or learning but is "made by praying, by much praying"

Boldness is a fascinating word - Parresia (All-Outspokenness):

In the Greek world, parrēsia referred to the right of a free citizen to stand in the public assembly and speak his mind openly.

A slave could not do this.

A free citizen could.

Thus the word came to mean:

Speaking freely because you are not intimidated.

We are not talking about:

Arrogance

Volume

Brashness

It is a Spirit produced courage that allows the believer to speak the truth of Christ even when the environment is hostile.

Boldness is speaking truth when silence would be easier

One explains that this boldness is the confidence of a child who is so sure of their father’s love that they "freely speak all that is in their heart" without fear of rejection

3. “Stretch out Your hand to heal and perform signs.”

They want God’s power to authenticate and confirm God’s message.

Today we understand this more in what we call “unction” or “anointing” where the Holy Spirit takes the message we speak and applies it to the mind and the heart.

They are praying for God’s hand to move in ways that confirm God’s message.

It was the importance of God’s Power not their platform

Their prayer is missional, not personal.

In Acts - signs and wonders are never random - they are missional not sensational

Healings point to the Healer

Miracles point to the Messiah

Wonders point to the Word.

The church is saying:

“Lord, do what only You can do, so we can boldly do what You’ve called us to do.”

They want God’s activity to validate their proclamation.

3. The Change Produced By This Dangerous Prayer

Acts 4:31 KJV 1900

31 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.

A. A Shaken Place

God shakes the room to steady their souls!!!

God was reminding them:

You may be threatened.

But I am still on the throne.

God was physically affirming their prayer

Then:

B. A Spirit-Filled People

"They were all filled with the Holy Ghost."

This was not their first filling.

It was a fresh filling.

A fresh empowering.

A fresh enduement for the task before them.

C. A Bold Proclamation

And what was the result?

"They spake the word of God with boldness."

The prayer produced exactly what it requested.

Dangerous prayer produced dangerous disciples.

The same men who had once fled now stood firm.

The same Peter who once denied Christ now proclaimed Him publicly.

Fear gave way to courage.

Silence gave way to witness.

Weakness gave way to power.

4. Dangers Praying For Today’s People

LORD, MAKE US BOLD!”

A. A Prayer That Risks Reputation

Boldness may cost you approval.

B. A Prayer That Risks Comfort

Boldness may cost you convenience.

C. A Prayer That Risks Safety

Boldness may cost you security.

D. A Prayer That Releases Power

Boldness unleashes God’s activity.

Boldness awakens a sleeping church.

Boldness turns believers into witnesses.

“If your prayers don’t scare you, they probably won’t scare hell either.”

The Spirit doesn't usually ask most of us to stand before the Sanhedrin.

He asks us to speak to a coworker.

To witness to a neighbor.

To invite a friend.

To tell someone what Christ has done for us.

"What is the threat on your desk right now that you need to hand over to the Sovereign Lord so you can walk out of this room with boldness?"