Peter and John have been released by the religious leaders following two stern warnings not to speak (and certainly not to act) in the name of Jesus.

Verses twenty-three through thirty-one: Following their release the apostles went to where their spiritual brethren were gathered and reported to them what the Jewish leaders had done and said to them. In verses 24 through 27 they prayed to God, reminding Him of how everyone, from the least to the greatest in Judea, had come against Him and His Christ. “Against the Lord and against His Christ” are very important words in that they tell those with ears to hear that when one rejects One he automatically rejects both members of the Godhead. As an aside–a question: If, as Trinitarians believe, the Holy Spirit is an equal member of the Godhead, why was the Spirit not mentioned in verses 26 and 27 where Father and Son are referred to twice? If the people mentioned in verses 25-27 came against Father and Son, why did they not come against the Holy Spirit? We see both Father and Son mentioned again in verse 30, but not the Holy Spirit. Why? See The Trinity. In verses 29 & 30 we hear the Lord’s disciples ask God to move through them to speak His Holy Word and perform miraculous healings, signs and wonders by the name of Jesus.

Verse 31 gives us important insight into what is involved in a Spirit-anointed, Truth-proclaiming, miracle-performing ministry. Note that following the disciples’ unified prayer to the Lord, the Lord answered them by shaking the place where they were assembled. There is no indication that only those in the room felt the shaking. By the people in the room were filled with the Holy Spirit–AGAIN. It is important to understand that God’s outpouring of the Spirit is not a one-time event. The initial Spirit baptism of the Lord’s original disciples had taken place on the Day of Pentecost (1:4-8; 2:1-11,33,38,39). Now they were again being filled with the Spirit. Why? Because when one ministers (preaches, teaches, heals, casts out demons, etc. under the anointing of the Holy Spirit) one uses up the Spirit just as a car uses up fuel when moving. And like a car, the minister must be refilled periodically. The refilling process takes place during prayer. The Apostle Paul said that he prayed “without ceasing.” As a man, Jesus spent much time in prayer for the same reason as Paul and other men–to receive the power needed to do what He had been commissioned to do. He admitted that He could do or say nothing on His own (human) power (Jn. 8:28; 10:14). He was totally dependent on the Supplier of all spiritual power. True ministers of God spend much time in power-producing prayer. Of course, these people believe His Word and obey it. When Catholic and Protestant ministers and lay people pray and receive answers to their prayers, heal the sick and cast out demons, etc., God is testing them to see whether they will search out His Truth, believe it and obey it, or continue to follow the doctrines of men (Deut. 13:3). See All That Glitters. Having been one of those ministers, I can attest to this truth. For those who reject the Old Testament, remember that the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament are one in the same. He is the Word who became Jesus of Nazareth (Jn. 1:1-4,14/Rev. 19:13), Who is the same yesterday, today and forever (Heb. 13:8) and Who never changes (Mal. 3:6). See The God of the Old Testament. Remember also that the New Covenant Church is founded on the teachings of both the Old Testament prophets and the New Testament apostles (Eph. 2:20). L.J.