Pray like it’s true
If what Jesus began to do and teach (Acts 1:1) is what He intends to continue to do and teach through the local church, then let’s align ourselves with His agenda.
[Let’s pray “like it‘s true” for all the cities, counties, and countries where we live.]
Based on Matthew 4:23-25, I pray “May the Spirit of Jesus move in and through His body, the local church, with great power and compassion in the sight of all, just as He did at the beginning. May it come to be said that…”
23 Jesus went throughout all of [Encinitas], teaching in their [churches], preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind disease and sickness among the people.
24 So a report about him spread throughout [San Diego county]. People brought to him all who suffered with various illnesses and afflictions, those who had seizures, paralytics, and those possessed by demons, and he healed them.
25 And large crowds followed him from [Encinitas, Carlsbad, Oceanside, and the surrounding cities].
We acknowledge that this is the nature and the purpose of the church you founded in Jerusalem, on that day when Peter said,
Acts 2 “But this is what was spoken about through the prophet (Joel 31:17-21) ‘And in the last days it will be,’ God says, ‘that I will pour out my Spirit on all people, and your sons and your daughters will prophesy, and your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. And I will perform wonders in the sky above and miraculous signs on the earth below, blood and fire and clouds of smoke. The sun will be changed to darkness and the moon to blood before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes. And then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’”
Lord, your disciples today continue the prayer your first disciples’ began in Jerusalem,
Acts 4:29 [G]rant to your servants to speak your message with great courage, 30 while you extend your hand to heal, and to bring about miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 When they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God courageously.