Acts 8:15 “After they went down there, they prayed for them so that the Samaritans might receive the Holy Spirit because he had not yet come down on any of them.”
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Old traditions often die hard.
It is almost impossible for us to understand the deep division between God’s chosen people, the Jews, who lived in Judea, and those from Samaria who practiced a syncretistic religion.
The woman at the well who tried to debate with Jesus about where and how to worship is an example of this (John 4:1-46). Yet, even though these people were half-breed Jews at best, when Jesus gave the commission to his disciples in Acts 1:8, he specified that Samaria should be the first place where they were to go after Jerusalem and Judea, and then the outermost parts of the earth.
If we read the Scriptures honestly, it is easy to see that the apostles were not hot on this idea.
We read in Acts 8:1 that right after the martyrdom of Stephen, “a severe persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the land of Judea and Samaria.” It was up to one of the deacons, Philip, that was willing to go to a city in Samaria and proclaim the Messiah to them. (8:5). God blessed his ministry and it was apparent that they received the gospel. The apostles finally realized it was time to move beyond Jerusalem. “The apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them.” (v.14).
This brings us to our ‘ground-breaking’ prayer in v.15. Breaking new ground is never easy, which is why it must be covered in prayer.
PRAYER STARTER…
O Dear Lord God, may we never take a step outside of your providence. May we bathe every action, every purpose done in your name in prayer.
For your name and for your glory we pray…
(Continue this prayer as the Holy Spirit directs you personally.)