How Important is Prayer

July 17th, 2025
by John Thweatt

How important should prayer be to the Church? Consider the book of Acts and the prayer life of the early Church:

1:14—they are in the Upper Room and what are they doing in obedience to Jesus’ command? “Devoting themselves to prayer.” The Spirit falls upon them as a result. They were there in prayer and the Spirit comes.
2:15—Peter says, “its only the third hour of the day.” That’s 9 AM which was the morning hour of prayer in the Temple. They were gathered to pray.
2:42—after Pentecost, “And they devoted themselves to…” Luke gives us four things the early church devoted themselves to…notice the definite article with each one, “to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” The Jews would pray at 9 am, noon, and 3 pm and the early church continued that as they devoted themselves to prayer…the prayers….
3:1—Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour…”. It was a part of their routine.
4:24—they prayed upon the release of Peter and John
4:31—when they prayed God shook the place.
6:4,6—the Apostles devoted themselves to prayer and the word.
8:14-15—Peter and John go to Samaria and pray for them.
9:11—Saul is praying when Ananias comes to him.
9:40—Peter kneels down and prays for Tabitha and raises her from the dead.
10:3,30—Cornelius is praying at the 9th hour.
10:9—Peter prays at noon
12:5 earnest prayer is made of Peter while in prison
12:12—Peter goes to them while they are gathered and were praying
13:1-3—church of Antioch was gathered worshiping and praying and fasting and they send our Paul and Barnabas
16:13—in Philippi Paul goes down to the river looking for a place of prayer
16:16—“As we were going to the place of prayer…”
16:25—“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God…”
22:17—“praying in the Temple…”