Have Your Way
Acts 4:23-31 (NIV)
The Believers Pray
23 On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25 You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:
“‘Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
26 The kings of the earth rise up
and the rulers band together
against the Lord
and against his anointed one.
27 Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28 They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. 29 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30 Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
Lyrics
VERSE 1
Can you hear the voice of Jesus calling
Can you feel the stirring through His name
Do you know the greatest gift He’s given
As we sing, let these answers come today
Move our hearts, restore a first love flame
PRE-CHORUS
Speak Lord, and fill this room today
Help us hear, the words You long to say
Come swiftly, as we sing these songs, we praise You God
For as You speak, the healing comes
So have Your way
CHORUS
Have Your way
Have Your way
Break these walls within my heart right here today
Have Your way
Have Your way in me
Holy Spirit come revive our hearts to know, Your grace ---- here today
VERSE 2
Where two or three are gathered You are present
Where the ground begins to shake Your Spirit’s near
Where the sinner’s lost His way You bring Him back Lord
As we sing, let these truths become our praise
As we sing, let our very nature change
BRIDGE
Fill our hearts with Joy
Let us worship, and adore our risen
Savior King our Lord
Who came in flesh, and loves us more -- than
We could ever understand
Then we could ever be worth yet
You chose to die, and heal this sinful
Heart of mine, through nail pierced hands – (come)
Dive Deeper
Peter and John were common, uneducated men. They did not have college degrees or high incomes. They did not publish any books or commentaries, speak at conferences, or live in castles. They were simply normal, common, uneducated men. But their love and devotion to Jesus Christ was astonishing to even the Chief Priests and Elders. They spoke and taught and performed miracles in the name of Jesus Christ. They were bold. And because of their witness, they were imprisoned, questioned, and charged to never speak or teach in the name of Jesus again.
Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.
~Acts 4:29-30~
When they were released, Peter and John, along with their friends, turned towards God in praise and prayer. They believed and affirmed that God is sovereign over all that happens. Every ounce of persecution that believers face, every moment of harsh mockery, evil rejection, false accusation, wrongful beatings, God is still in control. But the persecutors, those performing these sinful acts, they were still responsible for their actions and in need of repentance. But Peter and John and their friends did not pray against those who persecuted them. They do not wish ill on evil people or curse them. Instead, they pray for their own faithfulness in witness.
Consider this for a moment: these men were imprisoned, questioned, and told to never speak of Jesus again. Yet, they pray for their spirits to be boldened so that they may continue to witness even in the face of persecution and trials. They knew that if they continued to speak of Jesus that they would undoubtedly face immense struggle and pain, and they chose Jesus anyway. They knew that God would work in their midst and portray the gospel to all people through them. They only needed to pray and allow Him to have His way in their life.
After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken.
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
Acts 4:31
God answered their prayer. The place where they were gathered was shaken and the Holy Spirit descended upon them, filling them and empowering them to continue to speak God’s Word with boldness and confidence. The Holy Spirit didn’t just come onto them automatically, but rather the Holy Spirit came in response to their expectant, believing prayer. Peter and John, these common, uneducated men, were able to do astonishing works because of their devotion to Jesus. They were not naïve or oblivious to their circumstances. They just knew and believed with their whole heart that God was stronger than anything they faced in this life and they desired for Him to have His way in their lives, no matter the outcome. Their praise and their prayers came from the acknowledgment of their human weakness and belief that God would supply their every need. And He did.
Speak Lord, and fill this room today
Help us hear, the words You long to say
Come swiftly, as we sing these songs, we praise You God
For as You speak, the healing comes
So have Your way
Questions for Reflection
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Has there ever been a time in your life when you were targeted for believing in Jesus? What was that like? If not, what would you imagine you would feel or think?
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When trials and hardships happen to you, what is your first response? What do you turn to? Think about this and share honestly.
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Do you have friends/community in your life who will gather with you and join you in praise and prayer? Who are those people? How have they challenged and encouraged you?
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How do you make prayer a daily practice of your life? What disciplines do you have? If you aren’t sure, what prayer disciplines would you like to have?
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Do you truly believe that God will answer you when you call on Him? If not, spend some time asking yourself why you might not believe. Be honest before Him. He already knows you.