1. PRAY WITH
DEPENDENCY ON GOD
Acts 4:23-31
NOVEMBER 4, 2012
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI
USA

3. Begin now praying for
World Mission Week,
November 7-11.
There will be an Adult
Sunday School Rally for
Young Married and
Median Adults on Nov 11

4. at both the 9:00 and 10:30
Sunday School hours.
*Breakfast foods will be
provided in FSHE.
*You will hear testimonies
from three missionary
couples.

5. Focal Passage Passages:
Embrace God’s Plan
(Acts 4:23-28)
Pray for God to Work
(Acts 4:29-30)
Experience God’s Power
(Acts 4:31)

6. What This Lesson Is
About:
Praying with dependency
on God to transform our
lives (and other people’s
lives).

8. At times you may feel like
that hapless sailor in a
small boat tossed and
battered by the sea.

9. *The desperate sailor
ropes a rock.
*The rock provides the
needed security, stability,
and hope for the helpless
man.

11. When the rock is lassoed
it’s not the man pulling
the rock to the boat
(though it may appear
that way); it is the pulling
of the boat to the rock.

13. Christ is the rock; we
throw the rope through
prayer.

14. We desperately need to
connect with God through
prayer!

15. *When we work, we work;
when we pray, God works.
*God has ordained prayer
as a means by which He
will work on earth and
meet the needs of His
people.

16. God created us with
needs so that we would
need Him.

19. *Too many Christians—
and churches—have lost
their sense of dependence
on God.
*Do we not believe God
can work as He did in the
days of the early church?

20. *Only God can transform
lives and churches.
*When we partner with
Him, get on His agenda
and follow His lead, no
person or society can stop
God’s church.

21. *Without God we are
helpless and hapless,
given to the whims of
people and the storms of
circumstance.
*But with God we lasso
the Rock.

23. *Throw your rope – pray!
*God provides the strength
we need 2 Peter 1:3
*As He performed His
wonders with the early
church, He will do it for us
today as well.

24. Embrace God’s Plan
Acts 4:23-28
23 “After they were
released, they went to
their own people and
reported everything the

25. chief priests and the
elders had said to them.
24 When they heard this,
they all raised their
voices to God and said,
“Master, You are the One
Who made the heaven,

26. the earth, and the sea,
and everything in them.
25 You said through the
Holy Spirit, by the mouth
of our father David Your
servant:
Why did the Gentiles

27. rage and the peoples plot
futile things?
26 The kings of the earth
took their stand and the
rulers assembled
together against the Lord
and against His Messiah.

28. 27 “For, in fact, in this
city both Herod and
Pontius Pilate, with the
Gentiles and the people
of Israel, assembled
together against Your
holy Servant Jesus,

29. Whom You anointed,
28 to do whatever Your
hand and Your plan had
predestined to take
place.”
Acts 4:23-28

30. *Peter and John preached
the resurrection of Jesus
from the dead.
*They were tossed in jail
by the Jewish authorities,
then interrogated the next
day.

32. *They spoke with
compelling boldness and
radical dependence on
Jesus Christ.
*Acts 4:13 is pivotal in this
entire episode:
“When they observed the

33. boldness of Peter and
John and realized that
they were uneducated
and untrained men, they
were amazed and
recognized that they had
been with Jesus.” Acts 4

34. The Jewish leaders were
captivated by Peter and
John’s courage and
astonished by their insight
for they had no formal
training, but observed
that they were followers

35. of Jesus.
*Could this be the secret
of Peter and John’s
effectiveness?
*Their association, their
dependence, on Jesus was
their source of strength

36. and security.
*These men were on a
mission, possessed by a
great affection and an
overwhelming passion
motivated by their
experience with Jesus.

37. *Someone, not just
something, had happened
to them.
*They were transformed
men.
*Changed!
*Electrified!

38. This is not the same Peter
that we studied about last
week who cowardly
denied Christ three times.

39. *The authorities ordered
them not to speak or teach
about Jesus, threatening
further punishment if
they did.
*Opposition fosters
dependence.

40. *Apparently unafraid of
their accusers, nothing
stopped their quest to tell
others about Jesus.
*They discovered a
perpetual source of energy,
courage, and power.

41. Their relationship with
Jesus provided, and the
community of believers
sustained, their spiritual
vitality and courageous
boldness.

42. *Rather than despondency
and defeat or fear and
anxiety, over such dire
news, the assembled
believers turned to God in
prayer, not as a last resort
but as a first resolve.

43. Prayer should be our first
step, not the last resort.

44. *The believers embraced
God’s plan.
*They had comprehended
that prayer was and is the
indispensable and vital
function of a believer.

45. *They united in prayer;
they all raised their
voices, though not a
prayer in unison.
*The believers joined
together in prayer as one
person spoke the words.

47. *We often pray similarly
today.
*One individual will voice
the prayer and the
congregation will silently
agree with the spoken
words.

48. *As early believers
modeled, we need to
practice the discipline of
praying together.
*The early church was
birthed in praying
together.

49. *They coped with crisis
and persecution as one
body on their knees.
*They trusted God for
miraculous, divine
interventions in times of
extreme trouble through

50. united prayer.

51. *The early church learned
to pray largely by praying
together.
*Young Christians today
learn to pray in
community with mature
believers.

52. *Surprisingly, the
believers did not pray for
changed circumstances or
personal comfort.
*They instead turned to
God, recognizing His
power and sovereignty.

53. They knew what we often
forget: effective prayer is
foremost God-directed.
*How often have our
corporate prayers been
directed to the limited,
listening audience, rather

54. than to omnipotent God
Who can do something
about us and our
circumstances?
*Before any request, the
believers focused on God.

55. *They addressed Him as
Master.
*The Greek word renders
“a ruler with absolute
power/sovereign Lord”.
The term often referred to
a master or to a king with

56. unchallengeable power of
his subjects.
*Here, it communicated
God’s omnipotence, as
“Lord Almighty.”
*The believers
distinguished that the

57. Sanhedrin had influence
and desired to silence
their witness, but the
disciples knew the Jewish
authority dimmed in
comparison to God’s rule.

58. We would be wise to
remember such powerful
truth in light of the
opposition Christians and
Christianity faces in the
world today.

59. Furthermore, they
proclaimed God as
Creator, “the One Who
made the heaven, the
earth, and the sea, and
everything in them.”

60. *Steeped in Old
Testament understanding
of God, Scripture
informed their prayer.
In fact, prayer commences
with God’s Word.

61. *Just as the Bible informs
our theology, our ethics,
and our behaviors, it also
informs our prayer.
*If we are always
presenting God with a list
of pleas, trying to talk

62. Him into granting our
desires, it makes us a big
mouth and God a big ear.
*Praying Scripture turns
God into the voice and us
the ear, ready and willing
to respond to His plans.

63. *Then, the believers
accredited God as the
Source of revelation.
*Under the inspiration of
the Holy Spirit, God had
spoken through David.

64. They quoted Psalm 2:1-2
in their prayer.
Psalm 2:1-4
Coronation of the Son
1 “Why do the nations
rebel and the peoples
plot in vain?

65. 2 The kings of the earth
take their stand, and the
rulers conspire together
against the Lord and His
Anointed One:
3 ’Let us tear off their
chains and free ourselves

66. from their restraints.’
4 The One enthroned in
heaven laughs;
the Lord ridicules them.”
Psalm 2:1-4

67. Peter and John, along with
the assembled believers,
interpreted the recent
events as proof God was
working in their midst and
that Jesus fulfilled David’s
prophetic

68. word, regarding the
coming Messiah.
*In King David’s time,
vassal rulers were
required to submit to a
newly enthroned king.

69. When some refused, God
laughed at such revolt
( Ps. 2:4).

70. The believers recognized
Jesus as God’s Anointed
One.

71. *They thus knew how
foolish it would be for
authorities to think they
could stop God’s plan and
the proclamation of His
message.
*Did God laugh again?

72. *The early believers
applied this prophetic
statement to their
situation.
*They filled supporting
actor roles in God’s divine
mission in the world.

73. *It bestowed meaning to
their persecution and
harassment.
*The unfolding events
served to remind the
church that they were in
good company, for God’s

74. faithful people always
have been under attack.
*Persecution provided the
acid test of obeying God
rather than men.

75. *They acknowledged God
as the Overseer of history.
*Verse 27 identifies
historical figures and their
plot against Jesus.

76. Acts 4:27 “For, in fact, in
this city both Herod and
Pontius Pilate, with the
Gentiles and the people
of Israel, assembled
together against Your
holy Servant Jesus,”

77. The conspirators included
Herod Antipas (not
Herod the Great) who
corresponded
with the kings
of the earth.

78. Then, Pilate related with
the rulers.

79. The Gentiles were the
Romans, sentencing Jesus
to the cross and executing
the sentence.

80. The people of Israel
represented the Jews,
acknowledging their role
in Jesus’ death.

81. *All were united against
Jesus; all were a part of
God’s predetermined plan
that the Messiah must
suffer and die.
*These people raged and
plotted against Jesus,

82. God’s holy Servant,
Whom God anointed.

83. *Rage depicted a neighing
horse, tossing its head,
snorting, stamping its
feet, prancing in pride,
but ultimately the stallion
would submit to the reins
of the master.

85. *Jesus, the incarnation of
God, traversed among
humanity.
*He suffered the blows of
humanity.

86. Jesus succumbed to the
worst that humanity
could unleash on a
person, yet He came out
victorious.

87. In the end, God’s desire
would prevail.

88. 28 “to do whatever Your
hand and Your plan had
predestined to take
place.”
Acts 4:28

89. God’s hand, a common
image in the Old
Testament, represented
God’s power and strength.
God’s plan revealed God’s
will regarding Jesus
through His death and

90. resurrection.
*These vicious acts served
God’s purpose.
*His plans, His strategy,
His power always
accomplish His intended
outcome.

91. *Nothing would hamper
God’s agenda.
*This fact fueled the early
believers’ courage.
*They discerned that God
could take the worst man
could dish out and turn it

92. into something good.
*God squeezed good out of
evil.
*His purpose exists in
everything. We never drift
beyond His protection and
His plan.

93. *Perhaps you face a
difficult situation.
*God certainly has a
purpose in allowing you
to go through it.
*Instead of backing down,
reach up to God in prayer.

94. *Recognize God’s
sovereignty, revelation,
and incarnation; these
truths ground Christian
prayer.
*Seek God to determine
His purposes.

95. *Look for ways in the
midst of your situation to
participate in His plan.
*Live on His agenda and
you will never be off
course.

96. The early church recognized God’s “hand” and
“plan” in the events around Jesus’ death as well
as the threats against Peter and John. Which of
the following best describes your reaction when
your faith is challenged or confronted?
___ I wonder why He let such a situation
develop.
___ I lay low till the threat subsides.
___ I recognize that God is all powerful and ask
Him to change the situation.
___ I recognize and embrace God’s plan and ask
Him to accomplish His will.

97. Pray for God to Work
Acts 4:29-30
29 “And now, Lord,
consider their threats,
and grant that Your
slaves may speak Your

98. message with complete
boldness, 30 while You
stretch out Your hand for
healing, signs, and
wonders to be performed
through the name of
Your holy Servant Jesus.”

99. *They requested courage
that they “may speak
Your message with
complete boldness.”
*They sought bravery in
the face of danger,
boldness to proclaim the

100. Gospel without fear, and
power to prevail in the
midst of overwhelming
odds.

101. *The disciples’ boldness
characterized, first, a
spiritual virtue; as such, it
can only come from God.
*Second, it revealed the
believer’s courage in
preaching the Gospel,

102. their unreservedness.
*The word was used of
citizens who had the
freedom to say anything
publicly without fear of
punishment.

103. *Thus, for believers it
communicated the
freedom to speak the
truth about Jesus.
*Third, it described the
believers’ confidence to
proclaim the redeeming

104. work of Jesus Christ.
*Boldly the disciples
shared their faith with
conviction.

105. *Did God answer their
prayer for boldness?
*The rest of the Book of
Acts reveals God did,
indeed, answer their
prayer.

106. *These once timid and
frightened men, who had
been in hiding,
embarrassed and
ashamed, were altered.
*God took weak,
ineffectual, and insipid

107. persons and transformed
them into bold, powerful
and courageous warriors
for Jesus.

108. Likewise, we should ask
God for boldness to speak
for Him.

109. *Prayer carries an
evangelistic component.
*Worship leads to witness.
*Prayer propels us into
action.
*Prayer advances God’s
kingdom.

110. Prayer ignites a church to
move beyond its walls.

111. They wanted God’s hand,
(the second reference to
God’s hand in this
prayer), which stands for
His provision, His
strength, His work,
displayed miraculously in

112. their midst. God alone,
through His omnipotent
power, could eclipse the
laws of nature and time.
*They wanted God to
demonstrate His power,
thus affirming their

113. message, through
healing, signs, and
wonders.
*The signs were visible
demonstrations that
pointed to God, the One
Who has ultimate and

114. omnipotent power.
*The wonders exposed
spectacular events that
punctuated the early
church as recorded by
Luke in his writings.

115. The Book of Acts—often
called the Acts of the
Apostles but could be
called the Acts of the Holy
Spirit—recounted God’s
continual demonstrations
answering this prayer.

116. The validation of God’s
answering their prayer for
speaking with great
boldness was confirmed
by the signs and wonders
they saw in their midst.

117. *Their prayer forces us to
evaluate our prayers.
*Do we pray for boldness
to communicate God’s
message?
*Do we ask for power to
do His work?

118. *Do we seek confirmation
to our answered prayers?
*God’s will might not
remove us from difficult
situations or soften our
trek through life by
delivering us from

119. opposition, but when we
pray God will strengthen
us and make us more
effective for Him in those
situations.
*God furnishes courage to
His people when they

120. need it.
*Honest prayer releases
God’s power and invites
God’s hand to work.
*Look for it. Seize it.
*Know that it goes before
you as you boldly serve

121. and share about Him.
*Let’s not forget the
source of answered
prayer: the name of Your
holy Servant Jesus.

122. In Biblical times, a person’s
name represented more
than an identification or a
handle; it revealed the
essence of one’s identity,
character, personality,
authority, and

123. power.
*Jesus is God’s holy (set
apart) Servant.
*In a real sense all prayer
is ultimately a response to
Jesus’ name.
*Don’t we pray in His

124. name?
*Most often we conclude
our prayers by saying, “in
the name of Jesus, amen.”
*In so doing, we are
asking that our mind, our
purpose, our desires, our

125. hopes, our longings be
one with Jesus.
*In essence, when we
implore in Jesus’ name we
seek to glorify God,
soliciting for what Jesus
would pray.

126. We are urging that His
will be done on earth,
rather than our will be
done in Heaven.

127. Knowing yourself and your past responses to
challenges to your faith, indicate for each
statement how likely you would be take a
similar approach. Indicate your answers in
percentages such that the total for all statements
combined equals 100%. Create and incorporate
additional statements as desired.
___% I would ask God to get me out of that
uncomfortable situation ASAP.
___% I would point out that I’m not really the
best one to be in the situation, but I hope He
works in it anyway.
___% I would ask God to strengthen me for
how He wants to use me in the situation .

128. Experience God’s Power
Acts 4:31
31 “When they had
prayed, the place where
they were assembled was
shaken, and they were all

129. filled with the Holy
Spirit and began to speak
God’s message with
boldness.”
Acts 4:31

130. God answered their
implored entreaties by
shaking the place where
they had assembled,
filling them with the Holy
Spirit, and empowering
them to speak God’s

131. message with boldness.
*Whether the shaking was
physical or spiritual as
God’s manifest presence
invaded them, we do not
know.

133. It did, however, provide a
sign of God’s omnipotent
power manifested
through God’s divine
presence.

135. *The disciples had proof
that God was with them.
*They were all filled or
controlled by the Spirit
somewhat the same way a
person driving a car
controls the car.

136. *The Holy Spirit resides in
believers as the driving
force in our lives.
*This experience indicated
a special or fresh
endowment of power for
work and witness.

137. When filled with God’s
Spirit, we boast of a
renewed awareness of
God’s power and
presence in our lives.

139. *One secret of the
Christian life is that not
only are believers with
Jesus but He is in them.
*A Christ-captivated life
enables us to live an
extraordinary life.

140. “The Holy Spirit,”
according to The Baptist
Faith and Message, “is the
Spirit of God, fully
divine…. He cultivates
Christian character,
comforts believers, and

141. bestows the spiritual gifts
by which they serve God
through His church.…
His presence in the
Christian is the guarantee
that God will bring the
believer into the fullness

142. of the stature of Christ.
*He enlightens and
empowers the believer
and the church in
worship, evangelism and
service” (section II.C, 2000
edition).

143. *Some people talk of the
Holy Spirit as an
impersonal power or
influence.
*They speak of the Holy
Spirit as an “it.”

144. *The Bible clearly refers to
the Holy Spirit in terms
that can only apply to a
Person.
*Since the Holy Spirit is a
Person, we can have a
personal relationship with

145. Him.
*Since He is God, His
power is God’s power.
*Therefore, in relating to
the Holy Spirit, we come
into personal contact with
the God of the universe.

147. Because of this infilling
with the Holy Spirit, the
disciples began to speak
God’s message with
boldness.

148. *Interestingly, these same
words were verbalized in
their request in verse 29.
*The word boldness means
telling all.
*It occurs when one has
had an experience based

149. on undeniable truth and is
compelled to tell others
about it.
*Bold people are
impassioned.
*They formulate no
apology.

150. *They possess a great
passion.
*Their motivation
originates from the
indwelling Holy Spirit’s
power and presence.

151. *Their character matches
their conviction.
*People are drawn to
them as bugs to light,
captivated by their
message when they
communicate.

153. *God answered the
believers’ prayer.
*By the Spirit’s power,
they continued preaching
as though the Sanhedrin
had never made a threat.

154. *They chose obedience to
God rather than
submission to men.
*Boldness provided the
outward sign of the Holy
Spirit’s inward control of
their lives.

155. *Christians overflowing
with the Holy Spirit share
the Gospel.
*In fact, one filled with the
Spirit declares the Gospel
boldly.

156. *Isn’t that what we want?
*Courage?
*Boldness?
*Living obediently to
Christ?
*Dependent prayer fosters
such a transformation.

157. *This lesson embarks on
the study centered on the
theme “The Church:
Transforming Lives in a
Changing Culture”—four
lessons that identify
elements of

158. transformational
churches.
*This first element
concentrates on
dependence on God as
shown through the
church’s prayers.

159. Prayer was not the only
thing the early church did,
just the first thing the
church did. (1 Tim. 2:1)

160. Jesus thundered that His
church was to be a house
of prayer (Matt. 21:13).

162. *Our class can set the
example for our church by
depending on God,
uttering prayers that seek
God’s plan, desire God’s
work, and long for God’s
power.

163. Think of the most recent
time you experienced
God’s power.
Describe the experience .

164. Biblical Truths:
• Prayer always
commences with
reverence for God,
acknowledging His
sovereignty.

165. • Prayer compels one to
act, moving out of the
prayer closest and onto
the street through
ministry and mission.

166. • Prayer warriors don’t
request a lighter load but
a stronger back and the
courage to face daunting
tasks with valor and
dependence on God.

167. • Prayer endows believers
with boldness to share the
Gospel message
powerfully.

168. • Prayer unleashes God’s
Spirit within us as
believers face obstacles
and opportunities.

169. Only God can transform
the lost to saved, the
intimidated to bold, the
persecuted to victor.

170. While depending on
God, pray that He will
transform your life and
those of class and church
members, as well as the
lost in the community.

171. Next week:
Sunday School Rally in
Fellowship Hall East
November 18th:
Acts 13
Kingdom Building