23rd, August, 2009
Posted By Teresa Han
Acts 4: 23-31
Main Idea: To show the congregation the power of prayer
Objectives: a: To challenge the congregation to pray like the early disciples. b. To challenge the congregation to spend time in prayers, especially coming to Thursday night and Saturday morning prayer meetings.
Introduction
- I am as excited in preaching to you on prayer as preaching to you in mission and outreach. The reason is very simple, without prayer nothing in the spiritual realm will change. When God’s people pray God choose to work with them and see that God’s will is done. When God’s people prayed, mission is done. A great example is in the response of disciples of Jesus in SCAC to the Ulu Belega mission. There area monthly mission teams which are committed to go there and make a difference for Jesus among the Penans. There are 2 plus 2 missionaries who are lining up for the mission work there.
- Here locally, we have been praying for the Pujut Primary School school students to respond to come to our BB, GB and children Sunday School, I witness with my own eyes, a few children are now coming to our BB and Sunday School.
- Myself as the pastor of this church I have no doubt at all that there is great impact in the prayers we do. My strong conviction about prayer is any prayer that is done according to the word of God in the bible and according to the will of God, God will answer. Why I purposely mention the will of God? This is because a lot of things, details about life are not taught in the bible, so, you need to know God’s will for you. Things like is this the person whom God provides me as a life partner; the college I should go after Form 5 or Form 6? What course to do? to do this business or that business or not? Which job to take up? what job to apply? Etc.
- I am not just doing my job here as a pastor telling you to pray. I am not at all discouraged when you do not come for prayer meetings. I do not take it personally. I am doing much more than I am a pastor. I am preaching to you today if you do not believe in the power and impact of prayer, you lose so much, you miss the divine power; you miss God’s power at work in you.
- The early disciples’ believed in the power and impact of prayer. I know there is a world of difference between the context of the passage today and our context today. Their context was one of persecution of christians and they could be killed any time. Our context has no persecution. We have all the freedom to preach Jesus. And we are all living in very comfort zone. We experience no disaster; no political destability; we may have H1N1 disease but our lives are not threatened yet, etc. So we may not exercise prayer as much. We do not need God as much.
- But it is under this kind of circumstance; this context, we are greatly challenged to believe in the impact and power of prayer.
- I find it very hard to preach a sermon like this when we are living in a very good condition. Because at the end of the day, you may not feel the need for it. However, this is where I am greatly challenged to trust God that despite this circumstance, you will see the impact of prayer; the power of prayer.
- Let us learn from the powerful prayer of the early disicples.
A Powerful prayer of the early disciples (Verse 31)
- At the end of the prayer of the early disciples, the word of God today says in verse 31, “After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God bodly.
- What was the impact of the early disciples’ prayer? At least 3 things we can see. Firstly, the place where they worshipped God, where they prayed, was shaken. Do you expect this to happen in GMC? Secondly, they were filled by the Holy Spirit. Do you expect this to happen to you as you pray? If you do not, then, I question whether you really pray or not. Thirdly, they spoke the word of God bodly. Do you expect it to happen to you after you pray? If you do not, then, I believe you do not put much faith into your prayers. A lot of christians who made investment in business, they strongly believe they are going to make money/ profit. When you pray to preach the gospel, to give testimony, do you believe that God can give you the boldness like the way He gave to the early disciples? Do you believe like christian businessman who will make money for his investment?
- The belief to speak bodly for God is not just a matter of psychology because God comes in to take away the fear of all kinds; it is divine encounter with God.
- Do you believe in the powerful impact of prayers like the early disciples?
- Let us now examine the powerful and impactful prayer of the early disciples. You pray the same nature of prayer after this.
What actually characterised a powerful prayer?
- What characterised this church? You may like to say majority of us are professionals; we emphasize mission; we emphasize on teaching the word of God; we give much, etc. What characterised a powerful prayer?
- Firslty, a powerful prayer is a prayer done by the whole congregation who is united in prayer (verse 24a). For apostles Peter and John, after the release from jail; after being given warning (4:17) not to preach Jesus; after being given further threats (4:21), they went back to see their fellow disciples to report what had happened to them. After hearing all the news, they prayed in loud voice with all unity. In verse 24, it says, “...they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them...”
- Can you see the power of praying together as a whole congregation in unity for the same thing? It is just like a laser beam that gather and focus all the heat at one point to cut pieces of iron or steel. When every member of a congregation, as many as possible, in fact, the more the better, you gather enough strength, heat to form into one powerful force of request that point to God. God cannot help but pick up that strongest request to do His will. I pray that you see my point of a powerful prayer.
- Secondly, a powerful prayer is a prayer that honours God (verse 24b). Spiritually, the word honour has everything to do with worship. When you honour God, you worship Him. When you honour someone, he or she must have good qualities or character worth your adoration. Similarly, when you honour God, the person of God, the divine being, definitely must have good qualities or characters that deserve your adoration, your worship, your love. In verse 24b, in the early disciples’ prayer, they address God as the the creator, it says, “you made the heaven and the earth, and everything in them.”
- Remember, the early disciples said the loud prayer in unity under the condition of possible persecution. As they face possibe persecution, imagine with them how they can still appreciate God; worship God; honour God. In the midst of persecution, they could still go beyond themselves and praise God as creator, this is powerful prayer. They did not pray to be spared from persecution. They went beyond themselves to honour God. This prayer is powerful because it achieves the purpose of strong belief and conviction of God in the person of Christ, as creator.
- Brothers and sisters in Christ, if you are really in Christ, when you are teased for faith in Christ; in big troubles; business failures; relationship problems; children disobeyed you; you are depressed and hurt; you are very sick to the point of dying, etc, will you still honour Jesus as the creator of all things? If so, then, your prayer that honours Jesus is very powerful. It shows your strong faith in Christ the circumstance.
- Thirdly, a powerful prayer is a prayer that builds on real experience of the past servants of God (verses 25 and 26). The early disciples quoted the prophesy of David which was empowered by the Holy Spirit and recorded in verses 25 and 26. It was a prophesy about how nations, kings and rulers went against God in the Old Testament days. This part of the prayer is powerful because it helps us to see that the prophesy came true in those and it also came true in the early disciples’ days. It is a recognition of how history repeats itself. A prayer that shows that you see the same old problems is powerful because of its prophetic element. The fact that you are able to see the same problem repeated in the future is very powerful. Then, you can do something about it.
- Fourthly, a powerful prayer is a prayer that speaks the truth (verse 27). When you come before God in the person of Jesus, you have to face Him with all honesty, openness and transparency, you cannot escape from His examination of your deepest motives, hearts and minds. He knows all your lies, excuses, hyprocrisy, ulterior motives, etc. You cannot hide anything from Him. However, if you are able to tell God the truth in your prayer like the early disciples, it is very powerful. The early disciples sincerely told God the truth that Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with Gentiles and the people of Israel to conspire against Jesus, the servant of God on earth.
- Despite your sinfulness; your ugliness, you are able to face God with all the truthful prayers, you have an intimate relationship with God. Under whatever circumstances, nobody can rob you of it. When you own an intimate relationship with God; the presence of God is with you. Then, who can harm you; who can afford to go against you. No enemy is strong enough to pull you down when God is on your side. So, come and always pray truthful to God and keep a intimate relationship with Him.
- Fifthly, a powerful prayer is a prayer that is done according to God’s will (verse 28). It was God’s will that Jesus was crucified, dead, and buried for the purpose of serving as a sacrificial lamb to redeem mankind. The early disciples prayed according to the will of God when they prayed in verse 28, “They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.” When you pray according to God’s will recorded in the Bible, it will definitely be done. How can God not grant the request of His own will? So, take for instance, if you pray for someone to repent from sin, God will make sure it happens. Let me qualify myself; it will happen in God’s timing. If the person whom you pray for is not repenting, God has a purpose somewhere and you may seek God about it. Personally, when it is praying according to God’s will, I am most excited and dare to pray freely. This is because God must answer a prayer that is according to His will. So, now you know a prayer that is according to God’s will is powerful.
- Sixthly, a powerful prayer is a prayer that depends on God (verse 29). Do you see your prayer this way? When you pray with all sincerity, honesty and with all your heart, mind and soul, you are actually depending on God in whatever you are doing. Praying is depending on God to do it for you. The early disciples prayed to depend on God when they told God the threats of the opposition camp and asked God to empower them to speak God’s word boldly. When you depend on God, He helps you. That is the power of a prayer depending on God. When you depend on money, skill, knowledge, etc, they can help you as far as one of them can. If a problem require more than money to solve, then, money cannot solve. If your problem is pride, you think any amount of money, skill, knowledge can help you to overcome pride? In fact, the more money, skill, knowledge you may become more proud. You need God to come in to humble you, only then you can overcome your own pride. You need to tell God in the person of Jesus that you have pride and ask Him for forgiveness, then, you will solve the problem of pride.
- Seventhly, a powerful prayer is a prayer that trusts God for miracles (verse 30a). You see, in life, there are lots of impossible things which are impossible to achieve. But God in the person of Jesus can do the impossible if He wants His will be done. When you trust God for a miracle, then, there is a possibility that it can happen? Is there a place for miracles in your life? I always pray for miracles for church members who are in crisis in terms of marriage, disobedient children, having bad habits, health problem. Do you pray for miracles? A powerful prayer is a prayer that trusts God for miracle because it may happen. The early disciples prayed in verse 30a, “Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders...” Then, if you do not pray for a miracle, then there is no possibility of it.
- Eightly, a powerful prayer is a prayer done in Jesus’ name (verse 30b). Brothers and sisters, a prayer done with all your sincerity, honesty, and with your whole being in the name of Jesus, the most holy name, the most powerful name, anything can happen. I have preached to you before, when you pray in the name of Jesus Christ, you are appealing to the highest authority on heaven and on earth for an answer. When you say in the name of Jesus; you think of Jesus; you connected yourself with Jesus through your prayers, worship, reading your bible, meditation, etc, you caught the attention of Jesus, and He must attend to you. In the name of Jesus, I ask you which earthly father or mother will not pay attention to his or her child when he or she calls? Do you now see why the early disciples end their prayers with the phrase, in verse 30b, “... through the name of your holy servant Jesus”? Only prayer made in the name of Jesus deserves His attention, that makes it powerful.
Conclusion.
- Only a prayer honoured by Jesus is most powerful. So, now, you know how to pray powerful prayer?
Main Idea: To show the congregation the power of prayer
Objectives: a: To challenge the congregation to pray like the early disciples. b. To challenge the congregation to spend time in prayers, especially coming to Thursday night and Saturday morning prayer meetings.
Introduction
- I am as excited in preaching to you on prayer as preaching to you in mission and outreach. The reason is very simple, without prayer nothing in the spiritual realm will change. When God’s people pray God choose to work with them and see that God’s will is done. When God’s people prayed, mission is done. A great example is in the response of disciples of Jesus in SCAC to the Ulu Belega mission. There area monthly mission teams which are committed to go there and make a difference for Jesus among the Penans. There are 2 plus 2 missionaries who are lining up for the mission work there.
- Here locally, we have been praying for the Pujut Primary School school students to respond to come to our BB, GB and children Sunday School, I witness with my own eyes, a few children are now coming to our BB and Sunday School.
- Myself as the pastor of this church I have no doubt at all that there is great impact in the prayers we do. My strong conviction about prayer is any prayer that is done according to the word of God in the bible and according to the will of God, God will answer. Why I purposely mention the will of God? This is because a lot of things, details about life are not taught in the bible, so, you need to know God’s will for you. Things like is this the person whom God provides me as a life partner; the college I should go after Form 5 or Form 6? What course to do? to do this business or that business or not? Which job to take up? what job to apply? Etc.
- I am not just doing my job here as a pastor telling you to pray. I am not at all discouraged when you do not come for prayer meetings. I do not take it personally. I am doing much more than I am a pastor. I am preaching to you today if you do not believe in the power and impact of prayer, you lose so much, you miss the divine power; you miss God’s power at work in you.
- The early disciples’ believed in the power and impact of prayer. I know there is a world of difference between the context of the passage today and our context today. Their context was one of persecution of christians and they could be killed any time. Our context has no persecution. We have all the freedom to preach Jesus. And we are all living in very comfort zone. We experience no disaster; no political destability; we may have H1N1 disease but our lives are not threatened yet, etc. So we may not exercise prayer as much. We do not need God as much.
- But it is under this kind of circumstance; this context, we are greatly challenged to believe in the impact and power of prayer.
- I find it very hard to preach a sermon like this when we are living in a very good condition. Because at the end of the day, you may not feel the need for it. However, this is where I am greatly challenged to trust God that despite this circumstance, you will see the impact of prayer; the power of prayer.
- Let us learn from the powerful prayer of the early disicples.
A Powerful prayer of the early disciples (Verse 31)
- At the end of the prayer of the early disciples, the word of God today says in verse 31, “After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God bodly.
- What was the impact of the early disciples’ prayer? At least 3 things we can see. Firstly, the place where they worshipped God, where they prayed, was shaken. Do you expect this to happen in GMC? Secondly, they were filled by the Holy Spirit. Do you expect this to happen to you as you pray? If you do not, then, I question whether you really pray or not. Thirdly, they spoke the word of God bodly. Do you expect it to happen to you after you pray? If you do not, then, I believe you do not put much faith into your prayers. A lot of christians who made investment in business, they strongly believe they are going to make money/ profit. When you pray to preach the gospel, to give testimony, do you believe that God can give you the boldness like the way He gave to the early disciples? Do you believe like christian businessman who will make money for his investment?
- The belief to speak bodly for God is not just a matter of psychology because God comes in to take away the fear of all kinds; it is divine encounter with God.
- Do you believe in the powerful impact of prayers like the early disciples?
- Let us now examine the powerful and impactful prayer of the early disciples. You pray the same nature of prayer after this.
What actually characterised a powerful prayer?
- What characterised this church? You may like to say majority of us are professionals; we emphasize mission; we emphasize on teaching the word of God; we give much, etc. What characterised a powerful prayer?
- Firslty, a powerful prayer is a prayer done by the whole congregation who is united in prayer (verse 24a). For apostles Peter and John, after the release from jail; after being given warning (4:17) not to preach Jesus; after being given further threats (4:21), they went back to see their fellow disciples to report what had happened to them. After hearing all the news, they prayed in loud voice with all unity. In verse 24, it says, “...they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them...”
- Can you see the power of praying together as a whole congregation in unity for the same thing? It is just like a laser beam that gather and focus all the heat at one point to cut pieces of iron or steel. When every member of a congregation, as many as possible, in fact, the more the better, you gather enough strength, heat to form into one powerful force of request that point to God. God cannot help but pick up that strongest request to do His will. I pray that you see my point of a powerful prayer.
- Secondly, a powerful prayer is a prayer that honours God (verse 24b). Spiritually, the word honour has everything to do with worship. When you honour God, you worship Him. When you honour someone, he or she must have good qualities or character worth your adoration. Similarly, when you honour God, the person of God, the divine being, definitely must have good qualities or characters that deserve your adoration, your worship, your love. In verse 24b, in the early disciples’ prayer, they address God as the the creator, it says, “you made the heaven and the earth, and everything in them.”
- Remember, the early disciples said the loud prayer in unity under the condition of possible persecution. As they face possibe persecution, imagine with them how they can still appreciate God; worship God; honour God. In the midst of persecution, they could still go beyond themselves and praise God as creator, this is powerful prayer. They did not pray to be spared from persecution. They went beyond themselves to honour God. This prayer is powerful because it achieves the purpose of strong belief and conviction of God in the person of Christ, as creator.
- Brothers and sisters in Christ, if you are really in Christ, when you are teased for faith in Christ; in big troubles; business failures; relationship problems; children disobeyed you; you are depressed and hurt; you are very sick to the point of dying, etc, will you still honour Jesus as the creator of all things? If so, then, your prayer that honours Jesus is very powerful. It shows your strong faith in Christ the circumstance.
- Thirdly, a powerful prayer is a prayer that builds on real experience of the past servants of God (verses 25 and 26). The early disciples quoted the prophesy of David which was empowered by the Holy Spirit and recorded in verses 25 and 26. It was a prophesy about how nations, kings and rulers went against God in the Old Testament days. This part of the prayer is powerful because it helps us to see that the prophesy came true in those and it also came true in the early disciples’ days. It is a recognition of how history repeats itself. A prayer that shows that you see the same old problems is powerful because of its prophetic element. The fact that you are able to see the same problem repeated in the future is very powerful. Then, you can do something about it.
- Fourthly, a powerful prayer is a prayer that speaks the truth (verse 27). When you come before God in the person of Jesus, you have to face Him with all honesty, openness and transparency, you cannot escape from His examination of your deepest motives, hearts and minds. He knows all your lies, excuses, hyprocrisy, ulterior motives, etc. You cannot hide anything from Him. However, if you are able to tell God the truth in your prayer like the early disciples, it is very powerful. The early disciples sincerely told God the truth that Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with Gentiles and the people of Israel to conspire against Jesus, the servant of God on earth.
- Despite your sinfulness; your ugliness, you are able to face God with all the truthful prayers, you have an intimate relationship with God. Under whatever circumstances, nobody can rob you of it. When you own an intimate relationship with God; the presence of God is with you. Then, who can harm you; who can afford to go against you. No enemy is strong enough to pull you down when God is on your side. So, come and always pray truthful to God and keep a intimate relationship with Him.
- Fifthly, a powerful prayer is a prayer that is done according to God’s will (verse 28). It was God’s will that Jesus was crucified, dead, and buried for the purpose of serving as a sacrificial lamb to redeem mankind. The early disciples prayed according to the will of God when they prayed in verse 28, “They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.” When you pray according to God’s will recorded in the Bible, it will definitely be done. How can God not grant the request of His own will? So, take for instance, if you pray for someone to repent from sin, God will make sure it happens. Let me qualify myself; it will happen in God’s timing. If the person whom you pray for is not repenting, God has a purpose somewhere and you may seek God about it. Personally, when it is praying according to God’s will, I am most excited and dare to pray freely. This is because God must answer a prayer that is according to His will. So, now you know a prayer that is according to God’s will is powerful.
- Sixthly, a powerful prayer is a prayer that depends on God (verse 29). Do you see your prayer this way? When you pray with all sincerity, honesty and with all your heart, mind and soul, you are actually depending on God in whatever you are doing. Praying is depending on God to do it for you. The early disciples prayed to depend on God when they told God the threats of the opposition camp and asked God to empower them to speak God’s word boldly. When you depend on God, He helps you. That is the power of a prayer depending on God. When you depend on money, skill, knowledge, etc, they can help you as far as one of them can. If a problem require more than money to solve, then, money cannot solve. If your problem is pride, you think any amount of money, skill, knowledge can help you to overcome pride? In fact, the more money, skill, knowledge you may become more proud. You need God to come in to humble you, only then you can overcome your own pride. You need to tell God in the person of Jesus that you have pride and ask Him for forgiveness, then, you will solve the problem of pride.
- Seventhly, a powerful prayer is a prayer that trusts God for miracles (verse 30a). You see, in life, there are lots of impossible things which are impossible to achieve. But God in the person of Jesus can do the impossible if He wants His will be done. When you trust God for a miracle, then, there is a possibility that it can happen? Is there a place for miracles in your life? I always pray for miracles for church members who are in crisis in terms of marriage, disobedient children, having bad habits, health problem. Do you pray for miracles? A powerful prayer is a prayer that trusts God for miracle because it may happen. The early disciples prayed in verse 30a, “Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders...” Then, if you do not pray for a miracle, then there is no possibility of it.
- Eightly, a powerful prayer is a prayer done in Jesus’ name (verse 30b). Brothers and sisters, a prayer done with all your sincerity, honesty, and with your whole being in the name of Jesus, the most holy name, the most powerful name, anything can happen. I have preached to you before, when you pray in the name of Jesus Christ, you are appealing to the highest authority on heaven and on earth for an answer. When you say in the name of Jesus; you think of Jesus; you connected yourself with Jesus through your prayers, worship, reading your bible, meditation, etc, you caught the attention of Jesus, and He must attend to you. In the name of Jesus, I ask you which earthly father or mother will not pay attention to his or her child when he or she calls? Do you now see why the early disciples end their prayers with the phrase, in verse 30b, “... through the name of your holy servant Jesus”? Only prayer made in the name of Jesus deserves His attention, that makes it powerful.
Conclusion.
- Only a prayer honoured by Jesus is most powerful. So, now, you know how to pray powerful prayer?
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