“They all met together and were constantly united in prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus.”
Acts 1:14 (NLT)
Jesus has ascended. The apostles return to the upper room in Jerusalem. The eleven are there, but they aren’t alone. Verse 14 says they were constantly united in prayer, along with Mary, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus. All through the Gospels, women followed Jesus, supported the ministry, and had direct access to Him. They’re still here, praying with the apostles. And Jesus’ brothers, who didn’t believe in John 7, are now here too. Something changed. I wonder if during those forty days after the resurrection, Jesus spent time with them—letting His wounds speak louder than arguments.
This phrase keeps grabbing me: constantly united in prayer. In Aramaic, they prayed with one soul. One soul. That sounds like hunger. Like shared burden. Like a people gripped by one passion, waiting on one promise. When I hear one soul, my mind goes to Jesus’ prayer in John: “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me.”
That kind of unity doesn’t start on a platform. It starts in private—behind closed doors, on knees, in surrender. This group was united in prayer before they were unleashed in public ministry. United in heart before they were powerful in witness. There was one Leader in the room.
I keep asking: what do we need to be united about right now as believers? What would it look like to pray with one soul toward one purpose? I wonder what would happen if we brought back real prayer meetings—not rushed, not polished, but praying until breakthrough comes or peace settles because heaven has handled it. The early church did that and saw fruit. Unity first. Prayer first. One soul. That’s what I don’t want to forget.