This title is taken from Acts 4:31 where the apostles had reported back from opposition from their own, their own faith, their own leaders. The order was to stop preaching in the Name of Jesus, because this was for fear of the Romans, keeping the status quo, and being politically motivated.

This message is to turn what we are experiencing now into a Biblical context, where we can search out a context to what we are seeing. The opposition did not come from the world here, the opposition came from their own people, their own leaders, only a little later did the Romans start to persecute the Church and this would be the longest persecution the Church has suffered in Church history. I believe we are in a period as Paul spoke to Timothy, that true contextual Biblical teaching will no longer be tolerated. We have a status quo spirit coming to the Church for fear of persecution. Whether we like it or not the words of Jesus ring true: “I have not come to bring peace but a sword” sort of goes against the grain of modern theology.

The word we must watch in contemporary circles is the word ” polarisation” where the Gospel in its pure form will be rejected for a light version. However there will be two processes that will take place, persecution of so called radicals within the Church, and eventual despising from the world. It is so demonstrated in the pandemic when Churches were closed because they were deemed “non-essential”. You had hypermarkets open when churches were closed, and a New York paper deemed Churches the worst places for transmission. In this place of being despised no radical expression will be tolerated inside or out.

United prayer

When spontaneous united prayer springs up we know the Spirit will come!

The prayer prayed by the early Church is striking, it was an invocation of Psalm 2. There is not enough invocation in our praying, where our praying so invokes a response because it no longer uses our words, our ideas, but the substance comes from the very words God Himself inspires. I believe the Holy Spirit will move according to prayer, the spirit of spontaneous inspired and Biblical praying. We have mentioned so often on this site that Luke 2 brings this illustration of long suffering praying, 84 years of intercession from Anna, and many many years of preparation of Simeon. They saw beyond the occupation of Rome of holy land, land promised to Abraham, now trod underfoot by alien invaders. They saw “Consolation” come. The Biblical idea of “Consolation” has nothing to do with a human understanding of it. It comes from a backdrop of total destruction and the restoration of holy structures both physical and spiritual. There has been for the last 50 years a consistent destruction of moral structures taught by the Word of God. From this backdrop we are assured from Church history, in the darkest hour a small light appears. In Kings, the cloud, the size of a man’s hand, came to bring the first deluge in the 3 years of drought and famine. I believe and have spoken this out in my teaching engagements, that we have come to a moment to embrace the true concept of Consolation and see that it comes when all is lost, all structures have crumbled and men and women of prayer dare to rise up and raise the walls of distinction and sanctification, and raise up the Temple again of prayer and worship in its truest sense.

Many disagree with an Old Testament basis for some of what we teach because according to modern theology, the New came to replace the Old, which is heresy. The NEW came to COMPLETE the OLD, by building a greater structure based on greater promises. This is what the Early Church saw, the consistency of Psalm 2, which key verse says “I have set my King on my holy hill.” The Church saw then that the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost was not some kind of spiritual experience, taught today by Pentecostal denominations, rightly suggesting that the Holy Spirit comes to the believer, but fail to address the purpose of His Coming. He comes to confirm the Kingship of Jesus. How the King needs to be seen in the midst of His Church. Once you envisage the King Jesus, you see the Holy Spirit confirm His Kingship with infilling of the saints, emboldening their witness and signs and wonders to confirm the message with supernatural and impossible manifestations in the realms of nature, finances, healing, governments, families etc. Once our vision is clear, as theirs was of Psalm 2, so the prayer sprang up in the group all at once, in unison. I believe the unity God is looking for and is working upon is the aspect of spontaneous prayer. He shall breathe His Word in His People. This breathing in, shall be breathed out in prayer in unity, no matter the denomination, no matter the longevity of Christian experience, the same, one message of prayer shall be proclaimed.

Foundations shaken

The foundations that sustain ideologies and tendencies shall be shaken by the Holy Spirit

The shaking is a sign that God is visiting His people with something greater, something more complete, an authority that shall confirm that governments and leaders who oppose the King shall be put in confusion and derision. The laugh of the Father has yet to be heard. His laugh shall shake their foundations. Those who thought they were secure shall be moved from their place. What came to the believers was boldness. There are places where the Name of Jesus cannot be spoken, yet these knew that in the breaking of their inner fear, power would be released. The powerless Church is because it has accepted the status quo. It has subjected itself to the tendencies and ideology of the nations. Once this inner fear breaks, so believers will encounter a new power manifest which will fill all with fear. Here respect comes as the Church moves forward. There was a deep fear to belong to them, knowing things were going on which were beyond the natural. A change of attitude came as healings and miracles broke out and even it was believed that Peter’s shadow had power, sometimes taught that his shadow healed, erroneously. The foundations we need shaken are our own first. Our own fear goes a long way to disconnect us from the power that comes from the Throne of the One who lives in the Holy Hill of the Father. Once we grasp this spiritually, a process, our key to seeing signs and wonders will be received.

Believers filled

The Word says they were filled, but what filled them was greater than what in the world

They were filled with a aspect of Jesus the King, through the Holy Spirit. Hence the signs and wonders that abounded from this experience. The believers lived out the vision of Psalm 2, and they were a reflection of King Jesus. Right now through the nations there is much protest, much injustice, political crisis, that for the Church to break through this situation it must not fall for the deception of engaging the political process. They must cry out for what Jesus taught us “Your Kingdom Come!” How can the Kingdom Come if its subjects do not invoke its power and live out in its domain? The motivation to see communities cannot be engaged by marches, protests, violence in the physical, but in the spiritual. We much march in the light of the King upon the Throne, we must protest the advance of the devil and his minions, and be violent in our taking the Kingdom in prayer and receive strategy to manifest it to the world. Our violence is the violence of love. Our violence is not to compromise with that which destroys the soul!

Concluding words

I believe that we are seeing here in Acts 4 the keys to discerning this season, knowing the opportunity and living in the victory of this. I sometimes hear the fear in the mouths of believers. I also hear the sound of heaven, the abundance of rain! This is what Elijah heard as he prayed on Carmel. Yes Jezebel sent her prophets, but the fire had fallen. The devil sends his demons, but God sent Jesus! There is always a response. There are two manifestations coming in shortly, one of the physical King coming in the clouds, and the beautiful bride shall be seen, the Church, and all the world shall mourn, because all that glittered here, has been dimmed by the glory that comes from above! May His Kingdom not only come but be manifest in us and through us as we unite in the same breathing of prayer!

Maranatha! Come Jesus.