"The Practice of Prayer”

-25New King James Version (NKJV)

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.[i]

Introduction

· One of the things that grieve my heart as a pastor, am I doing to enough to teach you about the essentials of Christian living.

o Bible reading.

o Personal worship.

o Meditation.

o Fellowship.

o Personal Purpose.

o And prayer.

· For the Last several months (maybe even a couple of years). I have been pretty much teaching on these topics. For fear that church on the Rock might become simply a place of felt needs being met. You are a believer in Jesus. Does your life show it? Does my life show it?

Tonight “The Practice of Prayer”

19 “Again I say[c] to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”

1. There is something to agreeing in prayer with one another.

2. Its not about numbers.

Prayer for Boldness

23 And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24 So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, 25 who by the mouth of Your servant David[b] have said:

‘Why did the nations rage,

And the people plot vain things?

26 The kings of the earth took their stand,

And the rulers were gathered together

Against the Lord and against His Christ.’[c]

27 “For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together 28 to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. 29 Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, 30 by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”

31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.[ii]

3. They prayed for their weakness.

4. The spirit answered their prayer, the spirit also renewed and refreshed them.

5. I want to encourage you as we break up into small groups I want to give some Guidelines.

a. Be positive. There is no need to “hold someone hostage to your sermon” (illustrate)

b. Be humble, this is not the time to prove how spiritual you are.

c. Gather in groups of two or three.

d. Let people partner with you in prayer:

i. Some of you are looking for better Jobs

ii. Some of you are waiting for love ones to come to faith in Jesus.

iii. Some of you are coming into new seasons.

iv. Some of you are looking for breakthrough

v. Some of us have health issues

vi. Some of us have legal issues

vii. Some of us need help with legal issues.

[i] New King James Version (NKJV)

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

[ii] https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+4&version=NKJV