Praying through Acts- Chapter 10

Acts 10:1-5

Tonight, we will continue to pray through the book of Acts, focusing on Acts 10.

People make promises. Some keep their promises, while others forget their promises. We have once certainty as followers of Christ, God ALWAYS keeps His promises.

Imagine being in the New Testament church. The leaders of the church, including many of the followers, knew Jesus personally. At least 500 of them heard His promise that they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came on them.

From there, God continued to display His power through the early church. Through their consistency to prayer God:

Acts 1 - promise of power

Acts 2 - received power

Acts 3 - exercised power

Acts 4 - prayed for more power

Acts 5- people lied and God displayed His power

Acts 6- conflict arose and God used people of power to help the church

Acts 7- Stephen reminded them of God’s power in history

Acts 8- walked in power to spread Gospel in Samaria

Acts 9- Saul was converted through an encounter with God’s power

So far, we’ve read that God keeps His promise to pour out His power. But what was the purpose of the power?

To be witnesses.

Where?

In Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the earth.

Acts 2— Jerusalem/Judea

Acts 8— Samaria

Acts 10— the ends of the earth

God made a promise to include EVERYONE in His Kingdom. Through prayer and the Holy Spirit, God planned to overcome racial barriers, including both Jew and Gentile in His plan.

But part of God’s promises we must realize, is it often takes time for God to fulfill His promise:

Acts 1:8— promised in 30 AD

Acts 10— occured in 37 AD

For seven years the church held onto the promise that God would use them to see the world changed with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

How did God go about reaching the Gentiles? Remember, prayer is the foundation of the book of Acts.

Through people’s consistency in prayer, God opened the door for anyone to become born again and baptized in the Holy Spirit.

In our text we read about two men, Peter and Cornelius. Both were men of prayer, and both were apart of God’s plan of redemption and revival!

God has promised in these last days He will pour out His Spirit? How can we see God accomplish this in our congregation, we need [Prayerful Leaders], [Prayerful Families], and [Prayerful Churches].

Let’s begin

1. Prayerful Leaders

Acts 10:9-11

The events in Acts 10 begin with a Roman centurion, who led Italian volunteers in the Roman army. He was devout and feared God. As he prayed the Lord told him to sent two of his men to the place where Peter was in Joppa.

Acts 9:36, tells us that Peter was in Joppa, having just raised a woman from the dead. The day after God spoke to Cornelius, Peter went to the housetop to pray at noon.

While in prayer, he fell into a trance and God gave him a vision. In the vision he saw animals deemed unclean by the law of God. Yet he heard Jesus tell him to eat the animals.

Peter, who is always a little impulsive, questioned Jesus, how can I eat these animals who are unclean?

Jesus replied that nothing is unclean if God desires it to be clean.

He had this vision and experience with God three times, yet he was perplexed and did not understand what God wanted him to know.

When it comes to prayer, there are times God speaks to us, prompts us, or instructs us to do something, and we do not know why.

Our job is not to inform Him why He is wrong, but to obey Him and do what He wants us to do.

The open door for the Gentiles to come into the Kingdom might have stayed close had Peter not been a man of prayer.

God expects leaders to be people of consistent prayer.

God wants prayerful leaders, but He also desires...

2. Prayerful Families

Acts 10:24-28

As Peter continued to pray, God informed him that three men were coming to take him to Cornelius. Just as God explained, the following day Peter went with these men.

I am sure that Peter was still perplexed, but as a person of prayer, he was obedient to God’s instructions. Notice what he found when he arrived.

Cornelius, an Italian man, a Gentile, invited his entire family and close friends to hear what the Apostle of Jesus Christ had to share.

Cornelius was overwhelmed and knelt before Peter, who then told him to stand, for only God deserves that type of worship.

I will summarize the dialogue between Peter and Cornelius and his family.

Peter and Cornelius discussed how Peter got there.

Peter explained that I really did not want to come, but God told me you are clean, why am I here?

Cornelius recounted of his time in prayer four days prior. As he prayed and fasted, God spoke to him to send for Peter.

Why was Peter there? Because both he and Cornelius were people of prayer.

Why did he come? Peter came because of a supernatural vision and Cornelius invited him because God gave him a vision.

What did God want Peter to tell Cornelius’ family?

God does not show partiality of favoritism. Peter learned that where the word of God is preached, Jesus will have His way and work in anyone who accepts Him.

This type of preaching is common for us, but it was revolutionary for both Peter and Cornelius.

Up to this point, Peter only ministered to JEWISH people. And Cornelius knew that ONLY Jews were followers of Jesus Christ.

But Peter let them know, God has a plan for the Gentiles as well as the Jews, for the resurrection of Jesus CHANGED the course of human history.

When families pray together, they can expect God supernatural intervention and help.

Acts 10:44

As Peter preached, the Holy Spirit interrupted him, and poured out His Spirit. God remembered His promise to give His people power to witness to the ends of the earth!

The results of Peter’s preaching and Cornelius’ hunger for God, continued the cycle of having a...

3. Prayerful Church

Acts 10:45-48

It is truly difficult to comprehend the magnitude of what took place. For seven years, God ONLY poured out His Spirit upon those with Jewish blood flowing in their veins.

Now, there is a large family all praying in tongues. They were astonished and astounded of what took place.

However, as people of prayer, they identified, even though they witnessed something new, they had discernment to identify God was involved with the revival in Caesarea.

Peter, who once was against being around those whom he deemed unclean, now welcomed Cornelius, his family, and friends into the Kingdom of God as they were baptized in water!

God’s answers to our prayers will often surprise us, but we have to trust He will come through in the way He deems best.

The church continued to grow because God always keeps His promises.

Close:

We’ve sang two songs that come to my mind about God’s promises:

Standing, standing, standing on the promises of God my Savior, Standing, I’m standing, I’m standing on the promises of God.

Every promise in the book is mine, every chapter, every verse, every line, I am resting in His grace divine, every promise in the book is mine.

We know the promises of God. What happens when the promise seems stalled? What do we do when God has not answered His promise?

We have to pray, pray, pray, and continue to pray.

God is looking for leaders who will pray.

God is looking for families who will pray together.

God is looking for a church that will commit to pray!

God will come through for us, but we have to declare and pray His promises over our lives.

Let’s remember God’s promises, and keep praying until they come to pass!

Promised to never leave us nor forsake

Promised when we dwell in the secret place of the most High, we will abide under the shadow of the Almighty

Promised we will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon us

Promised in the last days He will pour out His Spirit

Promised by His stripes we’re healed

Promised the effective fervent prayer of the righteous availeth much

Promised to come again