Wednesday, March 9 – Acts 4:31

And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.

We talk a lot about the Holy Spirit in the church. But if we are honest, this is a part of our faith that can be confusing. We know we have the Holy Spirit inside of us when we begin to follow Jesus, but we may not understand His purpose. The Holy Spirit is alive and active inside of us as God equips us for the things He has called us to do. We don’t have to feel overwhelmed or alone in our faith walk. We have our church family to pray with us, and we have the Holy Spirit to work through us.

Together, the early church desired to continue to serve God, even if opposition came. Coming together in prayer, they were reminded that this was not something they were walking into alone. God answered their prayer abundantly, giving them confidence in Him and empowering them to speak and preach the Word clearly. How beautiful would it be if we prayed this way when we came together for small group or when meeting together for a meal? What would happen if we came to God, asking Him to fill us up and empower us, even (and especially) when we are feeling on empty? What impact would be made for the kingdom of God, if we made time with God a priority—spending time in the Word to know who He is and calling upon His name to help us share the good news with others? As intimidating as the task may seem, God will be faithful. Even now in 2022, He is alive, active, and ready to work in your life in a powerful way when you come surrendered and ready to be used by Him.

• What is your prayer life like? How do you dedicate time to prayer? What do you regularly pray for?
• What do you think would happen if we made prayer a priority and asked God to give us boldness each day to share with others?
• Pray and ask God to help you make your faith a priority. Ask Him to equip you and give you boldness as you share with others.