09/30/2026

Wednesday Night Prayer Service

“What does this look like in our lives and in our church?”

Sunday we looked at Acts 9 and watched Jesus interrupt a man who was absolutely convinced he was right—and was absolutely wrong. Saul was headed to Damascus to arrest Christians. By the time we get through this passage, he’s telling people that Jesus is the Son of God. That is what the grace of God can do.

We saw three truths. Jesus confronts our rebellion with saving grace. Saul wasn’t looking for Jesus. He was fighting against Him. And Jesus met him right there. That ought to give us hope for the person we’ve been praying for and quietly wondering, “Are they ever going to change?” We know their history. We don’t know everything the Lord may yet do in their life.

Then we saw that Jesus calls His people to costly obedience. Ananias had real reasons to be afraid of Saul. But he went, entered that house, and called him “Brother Saul.” Following Jesus means trusting Him enough to obey when the assignment makes us uncomfortable.

And finally, Jesus turns changed lives into gospel witnesses. Saul began proclaiming the Savior he had opposed. Other believers helped him, protected him, and welcomed him. Barnabas stood beside him when others were afraid.

Here’s what I want us to carry into tonight: Jesus saves people we might have given up on, and He calls ordinary believers to have a part in their lives. Who are we still praying for? Where is He calling us to obey? And who needs somebody to come alongside them?

“When Jesus changes someone, how should His church respond?”

That keeps Saul’s conversion, Ananias’s obedience, and Barnabas’s encouragement familiar while giving the congregation a fresh way into the passage. It also moves naturally into conversation.

You could open by saying:

“Sunday, we saw Jesus stop Saul in his tracks, save him by grace, and give his life a completely different direction. Tonight, I want us to look at the people around him. Saul needed somebody to come into that house. He needed believers willing to welcome him. He needed somebody holding the basket and somebody willing to introduce him. What does that teach us about the kind of church we need to be?”

Then work through these three conversations over about 30–35 minutes:

1. Making room for someone we struggle to believe can change — Acts 9:10–17

Read the passage, briefly explain Ananias’s legitimate fear, and ask:

Why is it sometimes easier to believe God has forgiven someone than to believe that person can actually change?

Ananias knew Saul’s reputation. How can knowing someone’s past affect the way we treat them in the present?

What would it look like to welcome a person while still allowing trust to grow over time?

Let the conversation develop before adding your explanation. The point to bring home is that believing in God’s grace should affect how we treat the people receiving it.

2. Helping someone find a place among us — Acts 9:26–28

Read about the disciples’ hesitation and Barnabas’s intervention.

What is the difference between being greeted at church and actually feeling that you belong?

Barnabas gave specific evidence of Saul’s changed life. What does that teach us about encouragement and discernment?

Think about someone who is new to faith or new to our church. What might they need that longtime church members would easily overlook?

The practical direction here is simple: Helping someone belong takes personal involvement. A welcome from the pulpit matters, but so does somebody saying, “Come sit with me.”

3. Being willing to need each other — Acts 9:23–25

Return to the basket scene and focus on Saul’s dependence.

Which is harder for you: helping someone else or admitting you need help? Why?

What might keep people in a church from being honest about their struggles?

What could we do to make it easier for people to ask for prayer, encouragement, or practical help?

Bring out that even Saul, who was already proclaiming Jesus boldly, needed other believers to help him.

Prayer Service Manscipt

“Sunday, I asked you to think of one person to pray for and one way to encourage them. What happened when you acted on that? Or what has kept you from taking that step?”

Church, we’ve spent time looking at what Jesus did in Saul’s life and how He used other believers to come alongside him. Now we’re going to bring those truths before the Lord together.

The same Jesus who showed Saul mercy is the One we get to pray to. We need His grace. We need His wisdom. We need His help to put into practice what we’ve heard.

I’ll guide us through five parts: upward, downward, inward, outward, and thanksgiving. You don’t have to remember everything that comes next. I’ll let you know what we’re praying about as we go.

When I open the time for prayer, you’re welcome to pray aloud from where you’re sitting. Pray loudly enough for the church to hear you, and keep your prayer to a few sentences so others have an opportunity to join in. You can pray more than once.

And when someone else is praying, pray with them. Listen to what they’re bringing before the Lord and make that prayer your own. If you’re praying quietly tonight, you’re still participating with us.

We don’t need impressive words. We’re coming to our Father, who knows us and welcomes us through Jesus.

UPWARD — “LORD, I PRAISE YOU.”

Let’s begin by looking upward—praising God for who He is.

In Acts 9, Saul is on his way to arrest Christians when Jesus meets him. Saul has done nothing to deserve that mercy. Yet Jesus confronts him, speaks to him, and changes the direction of his life.

What does that show us about our Lord?

He is merciful. He is patient with sinners. He has authority over people who think they’re in control. And He is alive. The Jesus speaking to Saul is the Savior who died and rose again.

Those are reasons to worship Him.

We’ve all brought needs into this room. The Lord knows every one of them, and we’ll bring them before Him in a moment. Right now, let’s give our attention to who He is.

You might pray, “Lord, I praise You because You are merciful.” Or, “Jesus, You are the risen Savior, and You have power to change lives.”

Keep it simple and speak to Him.

Church, let’s pray now. Praise God for His mercy, His holiness, His power, His faithfulness, or His love. For these next few minutes, let’s give Him praise without bringing requests. I’ll begin, and then you can join in.

[Pray the following opening prayer, then stop speaking and allow the congregation to pray.]

Lord Jesus, we praise You because You are alive and reigning. You are merciful toward sinners and faithful to Your people. You know the truth about every one of us, and Your wisdom is perfect. You are worthy of our worship and our trust.

[Allow approximately 3 minutes for congregational prayers. Give people time to respond; a quiet pause does not require another explanation. When ready, move to the next section.]

DOWNWARD — “LORD, I SURRENDER TO YOU.”

As we remember who God is, we come to the place of surrender.

That’s what we mean by downward. We bow our hearts before His authority and say, “Lord, You’re in charge. I want Your will to shape my life.”

Ananias answered the Lord, “Here I am, Lord.” Then he heard the assignment: go to Saul.

Ananias knew Saul’s reputation. He had real concerns. But Acts 9:17 tells us, “So Ananias departed and entered the house.”

He obeyed.

It’s easy to say we trust the Lord when we’re speaking in general terms. It gets personal when His Word touches something we’ve been holding onto.

Maybe there’s a sin you’ve been excusing. Maybe there’s an apology you need to make. Maybe you know the next step of obedience, but you’ve been putting it off because you don’t like what it might cost.

Let’s give the Lord our honest response.

We’ll begin this part quietly. You don’t need to announce private details to the room. Confess your sin to the Lord, and ask Him to help you yield to what He has made clear in His Word.

Take a moment now and pray silently: “Lord, where am I resisting You? Forgive me, and help me obey.” Bring that specific thing before Him.

[Remain silent for approximately 1 minute. Then say:]

Now, if you would like to pray aloud, ask God to give us humble hearts and willing obedience. Let’s pray that His Word would guide our decisions and that we would trust Him even when obedience feels difficult.

[Allow approximately 2–3 minutes for congregational prayer. Then close this section with the following prayer.]

Father, forgive us for the ways we’ve resisted You. We can be quick to explain ourselves and slow to obey. You have been patient with us. Give us the humility to receive correction and the courage to take the next faithful step. We surrender our plans, our preferences, and our need to be in control. Your will be done in our lives and in this church.

INWARD — “LORD, WE NEED YOU.”

Now we’re going to bring our needs before the Lord.

In Acts 9, Saul needed help in some very ordinary ways. He needed someone to lead him by the hand. He needed food. He needed believers to receive him and people to help protect him when his life was threatened.

The man who would help so many others had to receive help himself.

We need to remember that. There’s no prize for pretending you have everything under control.

Some of us are tired. Some are worried about someone we love. Some are waiting for a diagnosis, trying to make a decision, grieving a loss, or wondering how a need is going to be met.

Our Father cares about those things.

For these next few minutes, let’s pray for ourselves and our church family. You can bring your own need to the Lord. You can pray for someone else, sharing only what is appropriate to share publicly.

Ask Him for healing. Ask Him for wisdom. Ask Him for provision. Ask Him to strengthen marriages, sustain caregivers, comfort those who are grieving, and help those who are struggling in their faith.

Church, let’s pray now for the needs among us. Bring the person or situation on your heart before the Lord. As others pray, join them in asking God to help.

[Allow approximately 4–5 minutes for congregational prayer. During this time, pray for any known church needs that have not yet been mentioned. Do not pause to collect a separate list of requests. When ready, conclude with the following prayer.]

Father, You have heard the needs spoken in this room, and You know the ones we have struggled to put into words. Please bring healing to those who are sick. Give wisdom to those facing decisions. Provide for those who are struggling, and comfort those who are hurting.

Strengthen our faith while we wait. Help us care for one another in practical ways. Give us the humility to receive help and the attentiveness to recognize when someone beside us needs it. We depend on You.

OUTWARD — “LORD, HELP US FOLLOW YOU.”

Now let’s pray about how we’ll live when we leave here.

Saul began proclaiming Jesus. Ananias obeyed a difficult command. Barnabas stood beside a believer others were afraid to receive. Their faith took shape in what they did.

We’re going back into homes, workplaces, classrooms, and relationships where following Jesus will require His help.

Some of us already know where the struggle will be. We know the situation that gets under our skin. We know where we’re tempted to lose our temper, give in to fear, compromise the truth, or stay quiet when we need to speak.

Let’s bring that before the Lord now.

Ask Him to protect us from evil and help us resist temptation. Ask Him to make us faithful in our words and actions. Ask Him to give us courage to speak about Jesus and love people patiently.

Think of one person who needs to know Christ. You can pray for that person by name quietly. Ask God to open their heart to the gospel and give you wisdom and opportunity to speak.

Let’s pray now: “Lord, help us follow You.” Pray for strength against temptation, protection from evil, courage to speak about Jesus, and opportunities to care for others. Pray for the people who need to hear the gospel.

[Allow approximately 4 minutes for congregational prayer. If needed, begin with this short prayer, then leave room for others.]

Lord, You know where we are weak. Help us recognize temptation and turn from it. Guard our words and our conduct. Give us courage to speak clearly about Jesus and patience to listen well. Bring the people we love to repentance and faith, and help us be faithful witnesses to them.

[After the congregation has prayed, transition to thanksgiving.]

THANKSGIVING — “LORD, THANK YOU FOR EVERY GOOD AND PERFECT GIFT.”

Before we finish, let’s take time to thank God for what He has given us.

We began by praising Him for who He is. Now let’s name specific gifts and expressions of His care.

Think about the grace in Saul’s story. Jesus showed him mercy. Ananias called him brother. Believers made room for him. Barnabas helped him find his place.

Now think about your own life.

Who helped you understand the gospel? Who has prayed for you? Who showed up when you needed encouragement? What has God provided that you might have started taking for granted?

James 1:17 tells us that every good gift and every perfect gift is from above.

We can thank Him for salvation through Jesus, for His Word, for daily provision, and for this church family. We can thank Him for an answered prayer or for strength He has given us while we’re still waiting.

You may be walking through something painful tonight. You can tell the Lord the truth about that pain and still thank Him for the ways He is caring for you in it.

Church, let’s finish this part by thanking Him. Name something specific: “Lord, thank You for…” It might be a person, a provision, an answered prayer, or a way He has sustained you. Let’s give Him thanks together.

[Allow approximately 3 minutes for prayers of thanksgiving. Then close the entire prayer time with the following prayer.]

Father, thank You for hearing us.

Thank You for the mercy You have shown us through Jesus. Thank You that He died for our sins and rose again, and that through Him we can come before You with confidence.

You have given us Your Word, Your Spirit, and people to walk beside us. You have provided gifts we remember to name and gifts we pass over without noticing. Thank You for Your patient care.

Help us carry what we’ve prayed into the rest of this week. Where we have confessed sin, help us turn from it. Where we have surrendered something, help us trust You with it. Where we have prayed for someone, help us notice how we can care for them.

Make Cedar Bay a church that takes Your Word seriously, depends on Your Spirit, and makes room for people to grow in Christ.

We trust You with the needs we’ve brought before You tonight. Give us strength to obey You and grateful hearts as we go.

In Jesus’ name, amen.