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The Power of a Prayer Meeting Acts 4:23-31
Peter and John
have been arrested/threatened not to preach Christ...but the Lord has
told them TO! [torn between
God and man.]
When released,
where did they go? Tavern?
Belly up to bar?
No...they had a prayer and praise meeting!
They headed for
their own people [law of affinity:
we're attracted by those like us...birds of a feather flock
together!]
You can tell a lot about
those a person runs with...or runs to.
joke--drunk
picked up by preacher on road, taken home, "please meet my
wife"/no!/please.../why?/I want her to see what kind of company I'm
keepin'!
Well, Peter and
John ran to their own company.
It's a shame when people
get into trouble and don't run to the church...may we make our church
one they can run to!
Away w/ selfish
Christianity that comes to church only for what I can get...did
it ever occur to you that there are some who need what you can give?
Just like last
week, that's the people...now the prayer.
Here's 4
things that can revolutionize our prayer lives:
Once again,
this was a
1. United Prayer--they dropped to their knees and joined hands and
prayed TOGETHER. [though we
all should have private prayer lives, we should pray as a
family...meals...bedtime...family devotions...crisis...hospital, etc.]
We'll be united or we'll be untied!
As a church the
same is true!
2. God-Centered Prayer--did not focus on their problems, but on God's
power!
v. 24 recognized God as Creator
When we do
this, it puts our problems in perspective...reminds us that He can
handle our problems.
Read the most powerful
prayers in scripture, you'll see they're not problem-centered, but God
centered!
Nehemiah 9--He
was in serious trouble, but spent hours praising things about Who God
IS, before making his request!
Isaiah
42:10--he talks about God's power/guidance/control/faithfulness prior to
his requests.
David--Psalm
145:1-3 I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever. [2] Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever. [3] Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.
Revolutionize
your prayer life...take out some moans and add some amens...delete the
hows? and replace w/ hallelujahs!
Shove gratitude up front in the groan's seat!
ill.--John
Wesley riding horse thru countryside, overcome by thieves who took every
cent he had on him. That
night he prayed [recorded prayers in a journal].
"Dear God, I
thank you for 3 things:
though they took my money, they didn't take my life...though they took
ALL my money, it wasn't much...most of all, thank you that it was I who
was robbed, and not I who did the robbing!"
What a
God-Centered prayer!
3. This was also a scriptural prayer
Based on
scripture
Quote the Bible when you
pray [hide it in your heart, recall it]
v. 25-26
This is Psalm 2--a prophecy made hundreds of years before Christ
of how the kings of the earth would conspire against Him...but in the
middle of it all, God would be in control [laughing].
Then they pray
the interpretation:
v. 27 they all gang up as
predicted...
v. 28 and they were your puppets,
Lord!
v. 29-30
they apply it to their situation now.
Lord, you were in control when the rulers crucified Jesus, and
you're in control of ours.
They pray
Scripture/claiming scripture/praying based on the Bible...so can we, and
so we ought to!
ill.--needed
money for taxes, prayed according to story of Peter [go fishin']
Mt. 17 [dentist]
How should we
pray tonite? Biblically!
Souls: Lord, you're
not willing for them to perish!/Lord, you added unto the church
daily.../you're the great physician who touched blind eyes.../brought
prodigal home, do it for our son!
united, God-centered, scriptural...
4. This was a totally unselfish prayer
v. 29 amazing!
they didn't pray for deliverance/for God to crush their
heads!/call fire down on council/for protection, but that they would be
able to still do what they are supposed to despite it all!
We don't pray
like that...we pray for God to get us out of situations, not deeper!
We say, oh God, kill 'em!
Smite w/ hemorrhoids like asteroids/may the fleas of 1k camels...
Philip
Brooks:
don't pray for an easy life, pray for God to make you stronger!
Don't pray for tasks equal to your power, but for power equal to
your tasks!
ill.--At an old time country store/6 year old boy got a sweet tooth/slipped finger into the molasses
barrel, then into his mouth/owner scolded him: 'unsanitary'/kid was
embarrassed, left/few days later his tongue guided him there again/did
same again…was caught again/this time man took him by arm and escorted
him out firmly…spanked him/you'd think he'd learn his lesson, but 10
days later he did it again, but before he could get it to his mouth,
owner caught him red handed/he picked him up, turned him upside-down
and, yes, dipped him in head first/last thing you could hear as he was
lowered was a prayer, “Lord, give me a tongue equal to this
opportunity!”
Again, there's
the people, the prayer, and then the POWER!
v. 31 They prayed right, and they
received! Boldness/power.
This is the 3rd time they
had been filled with the Holy Spirit...still novices, but God worked!
ill.--a
church bought a new organ for thousands of dollars.
They hired a professional to come intro. the organ w/ a
concert/came, but no sound/someone:
let's pray!/custodian walked over and realized power switch was
off/turned it on, handed note to organist while all still praying:
"after the prayer, the power will be on!"
And that's the
message for us!
Please help keep this ministry free by honoring our system...
Please Choose:
Grace Notes Sermon Ministry:
NOTICE! Our sermons are free to download, copy and paste, edit and use as you see fit...but only our free subscribers get the newest messages, featured sermons, and some free gifts we shower on them from time to time! Help keep this service free by recommending it using the links above the sermon
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All Sermons and PowerPoint Slideshow Presentations ©Copyright Jerry Shirley and Grace Notes Ministries® unless otherwise credited. These resources are yours to use freely and uncredited, but only in public worship services or private study groups and devotions. They may not be sold, republished or retransmitted in any form without written permission.