These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication.
—Acts 1:14
And they continued stedfastly in…fellowship…and in prayers.
—Acts 2:42
What a lesson it would be to us in the school of prayer to have a clear understanding of what this continuing “with one accord in prayer” meant to the disciples!
Just think of the object of their desire. However defective the thoughts were that they had of the Blessed Spirit, this they knew from the words of Jesus: “It is expedient for you that I go away” (John 16:7), so that the Spirit would give the glorified Christ into their very hearts in a way they had never known Him before. And it would be He Himself, in the mighty power of God’s Spirit, who would be their strength for the work to which He had called them.
With what confidence they expected the fulfillment of the promise! Had not the Master, who had loved them so well, given them the assurance of what He would send to them from the throne of the Father in heaven?
And with what intensity and persistency they pleaded! In the midst of the praise and thanksgiving that filled their hearts as they worshipped their Lord in heaven, remembering all He had taught them about importunity, they had the full assurance that He would fulfill their desires, however long the answer might be delayed. Let us nourish our hearts with thoughts such as these, until we see that the very same promise that was given to the disciples is given to us, and that we, too, even though we have to cry day and night to God, can count upon the Father to answer our prayers.
Lastly—and this is not the least—let us believe that as they continued “with one accord in prayer,” we also may unite in presenting our petitions even though we cannot be together in one place. In the love with which His Spirit makes us one, and in the experience of our Lord’s presence with each one who joins with his fellow believers in pleading the blessed name, we can claim the promise that we, too, will be filled with the Holy Spirit.