“Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word” (Acts 4:29).
Although it is recorded many times in Acts that the disciples prayed, this is the only prayer offered by the Twelve of which the words are recorded. In an attempt to intimidate the believers into silence, the Sanhedrin warned them to stop preaching “in this name” (vv 17-18). Impossible, said John and Peter, “for we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard” (v 20).
The Council was in a bind. To punish the disciples would be seen by the common people as being against the Lord since they saw the miraculous healing of the lame man at the Temple gate as a clear work of God. So what did their threats do? They drove the disciples to have a prayer meeting. Oh, oh! And did they pray for divine protection? For a lessening of the persecution? For a reprieve from preaching the gospel? None of the above. They prayed for…more boldness! Let’s pray the same today.