April 18, 2021 · Acts 7:59–60

The Martyr's Prayer

While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep.

“I think it doesn't happen if you don't pray. That's why I'm talking about practising prayer, because prayer is actually actionable. It does things. It changes you. When you pray for someone who's attacking you — wow, that changes you. And then you give glory to God. Your life gives glory to God. It shows God to be amazing, because look what he's doing with this person who's able to take stones and not hate the people who are doing it. That's a power. Who's in the power position here? People who are enslaved to their hatred and anger and fear and just throwing stones, or a person who's unafraid, full of life and love? Wow. Prepare yourself to show God in a good light, to show Jesus in a good light, when they come for the fight. Be ready for it. Speak truth powerfully. It's hard sometimes — you just speak clear truth, but without hatred, without anger, genuinely. Call evil evil, but do it out of good. Call out people doing evil, but don't do evil yourself in return. You can't defeat evil with evil. It never works. Evil's overcome with good. Do so in a spirit of sadness. Do so in a spirit of desire for restoration for these people. People can sense a difference in your spirit. It'll go a long way to helping people be convinced of Christ. I want to point out: God was glorified by what happened with Stephen. In fact, Stephen's prayer was answered.”