Jewish Mission and the Onset of Jewish Opposition - The Church's Prayer

Having been released by the Sanhedrin, Peter and John returned to the body of believers there in Jerusalem and recounted to them what had transpired that day. The response of the saints was to raise their voices in prayer to God, lifting up the circumstances and outcome of that encounter and entreating Him for the resources to go forward in faith. These believers recognized that the opposition Peter and John had encountered was itself a matter of scriptural fulfillment, and they understood that that hostility was only going to increase. At the same time, they also recognized God's predetermination that the Church's expanding gospel witness was to be facilitated by Jewish unbelief and opposition. The Scriptures had revealed this divine design and Jesus had Himself affirmed it. Therefore, the saints' prayer wasn't that God would squelch opposition and persecution, or even that He would protect them from it. Rather, they pleaded with Him for the spiritual resource - boldness and the Spirit's supernatural attendance - to carry on with their calling to bring the gospel to the ends of the earth.