Praying through Acts- Acts 27

Intro:

Acts 27:9–10 NKJV

9 Now when much time had been spent, and sailing was now dangerous because the Fast was already over, Paul advised them, 10 saying, “Men, I perceive that this voyage will end with disaster and much loss, not only of the cargo and ship, but also our lives.”

Tonight, as we continue to pray through the book of Acts, we will focus on chapter 27.

Pastor Davis has told me many times:

The Holy Ghost is a genius. If you hang out with him, He will make you look a lot smarter than you are.

No wonder Jesus encouraged and insisted His followers wait for the power of the Holy Spirit.

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

Acts 10- the power of God fell on the Gentiles as Peter preached

Acts 11- Peter defended Gentiles receiving power

Acts 12- the church prayed and Peter was released from prison

Acts 13- God sent Barnabas and Paul as a result of prayer

Acts 14- Paul and Barnabas took the gospel to new regions proclaiming God’s message with power

Acts 15- they prayed and God gave powerful discernment

Acts 16- Paul and Silas prayed and praised in prison, and God set them free

Acts 17- Paul stayed consistent in the face of hardships because of his prayer life

Acts 18- Paul prayed and God helped him reach the city of Corinth.

Acts 19- Paul put what he prayed for and believed into practice and God answered

Acts 20- Paul prayed as he headed to Jerusalem, knowing difficulties laid ahead

Acts 21- Paul Told everyone he was ready to go to Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit led him there

Acts 22- Paul took time to witness to those who hated him

Acts 23 closes with Paul waiting for his accusers and for the governor, Felix to determine his fate.

Acts 24- Paul shared the truth of the Gospel with His accusers and enemies

Acts 25- Paul awaits an audience with King Agrippa after speaking to Festus

Acts 26— He speaks to Felix and shares about God’s goodness

As we look at Acts 27, I want us to keep in mind that all of this happened to Paul once he concluded his third missionary journey.

I doubt Paul knew Pastor Davis’s saying, but he understood the concept. In fact, while he was in Corinth, he wrote to the church in Rome.

Romans 8:26–27 NKJV

26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

Paul was a man of prayer. He knew he needed to go to Rome, but I doubt he fully grasped all that awaited him. But he went in obedience to the Spirit.

As we study and prepare ourselves for prayer, keep in mind the importance of praying in the Spirit.

1. Revealed a Warning

Acts 27:9–12 NKJV

9 Now when much time had been spent, and sailing was now dangerous because the Fast was already over, Paul advised them, 10 saying, “Men, I perceive that this voyage will end with disaster and much loss, not only of the cargo and ship, but also our lives.” 11 Nevertheless the centurion was more persuaded by the helmsman and the owner of the ship than by the things spoken by Paul. 12 And because the harbor was not suitable to winter in, the majority advised to set sail from there also, if by any means they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete opening toward the southwest and northwest, and winter there.

As they set sail, we already noticed that they had severe problems with the wind. However, they storm was not too bad yet. Paul spoke to the centurion and told him that the storm was going to get worse and the voyage would end disastrous.

(How did Paul know?) Some had attributed it to his knowledge of the sea and his frequent travels. But as a Spirit-filled believer, it goes deeper.

I believe that God gave Paul a word of wisdom. God revealed to him that the storm would be disastrous, not become of his intellect, but because of the wisdom of the Holy Spirit.

Had believers surrounded Paul, they would have identified that God spoke to Paul. However, Roman sailors and prisoners surrounded him.

They knew that the storm was bad, but they had an explanation, it is winter and the storms are always bad in the winter.

They knew that they couldn’t sail the whole voyage, but they wanted to make it to the harbor of Phoenix. If they had to be in the harbor for the winter, the wanted to go someplace nice, like Phoenix, instead of where they were.

God spoke to Paul to speak to them, but the audience placed their wants above God’s warning, which led to…

Acts 27:18–20 NKJV

18 And because we were exceedingly tempest-tossed, the next day they lightened the ship. 19 On the third day we threw the ship’s tackle overboard with our own hands. 20 Now when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest beat on us, all hope that we would be saved was finally given up.

They ignored the warning, but now the winds began to blow and the waves began to crash against the ship. Luke provides such great insight to this story.

Stanley Horton explains that this, “Is one of the most interesting and factual accounts to be found anywhere in ancient literature.”

At first a gentle wind began to blow from the south. This only reinforced the centurion and sailors that they were right in their decision to move forward. As they were to far from the shore to turn back, suddenly a wind as strong as a hurricane began to blow.

After three days, the wind was so strong that they began to throw their items overboard. They carried wheat on board, but it was very expensive and all the way from Egypt.

Therefore, they had to throw their {luggage, furniture and tackle overboard} into the sea. After eleven days, the storm clouds were so thick that they could not see the {sun, moon or stars} for many days.

Those in the boat, including Luke, had given up on their hope for safety. But God promised Paul that he would go to Rome. The {Jews and various death threats couldn’t stop him}, therefore this {storm wouldn’t either}.

Not everyone will listen to God’s warning, but we have to trust He will protect us as we remain obedient to Him.

Paul gave them a warning, which was ignored and followed by the wind, but now Paul had…

2. Received a Word

Acts 27:21–25 NKJV

21 But after long abstinence from food, then Paul stood in the midst of them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me, and not have sailed from Crete and incurred this disaster and loss. 22 And now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. 23 For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, 24 saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ 25 Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me.

It is interesting how the tables turned for Paul. Though the centurion treated Paul with kindness, they ignored his warning for he was a prisoner. However, Paul takes a commanding role in the situation.

Notice he is noticeably absent from the fear and furyof those worried for their lives. (Where was Paul?) Paul was engaged in intercessory prayer for the terrible storm.

(How could Paul pray for God to change His mind?) (Hadn’t God already spoke to them to tell them that they would lose their lives?)

Yes, God warned Paul that destruction awaited them if they set sail. However, Paul interceded for them. God saved His people just as He did when Moses interceded for the Israelites.

As Paul stood in the gap, an angel of the Lord came to Paul and gave him a promise, you will go to Rome and no one will lose their lives on this ship.

Paul spoke with a commanding authority to the people and informed them, “You should have listened to me when I told you that this would happen!”

But, they needed to be encouraged because God sent an angel to promise them that they would be survive! Their lives were spared because Paul had an assignment from the Lord, to go to Rome and no storm could stop him.

Therefore, when the storm was at its worse, Paul told them to be of good courage for I believe God!

Had Paul not had a personal and daily walk with God, there is no way that he could have said this to them with authority and assurance.

But because He knew God and God knew him, he was declared a word form the Lord that did come to pass.

Acts 27:33–36 NKJV

33 And as day was about to dawn, Paul implored them all to take food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day you have waited and continued without food, and eaten nothing. 34 Therefore I urge you to take nourishment, for this is for your survival, since not a hair will fall from the head of any of you.” 35 And when he had said these things, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of them all; and when he had broken it he began to eat. 36 Then they were all encouraged, and also took food themselves.

Though they heard the word of the Lord, they were still afraid and some of the sailor lowered the lifeboats in an attempt to escape. Paul saw this and told them that if they left, everyone would die.

Paul knew that they were not in their right minds. They had not eaten for fourteen days and they needed their nourishment to survive. Paul gave thanks to the Lord and ate with them.

All 276 people on the ship ate and then they threw the last thing overboard, the wheat, to lighten the ship.

Paul gave them a warning, but they ignored it so the winds came and almost destroyed them, but Paul had the word of wisdom from God, which led too.

The Spirit will provide the word of wisdom to help direct us in good and bad times.

3. Recognized God’s Will

Acts 27:41–44 NKJV

41 But striking a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the prow stuck fast and remained immovable, but the stern was being broken up by the violence of the waves. 42 And the soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim away and escape. 43 But the centurion, wanting to save Paul, kept them from their purpose, and commanded that those who could swim should jump overboard first and get to land, 44 and the rest, some on boards and some on parts of the ship. And so it was that they all escaped safely to land.

Here is where some Christians confuse {God’s promise} with {our desires}. When the ship wrecked, some Christians would have been upset at God, “God you promised I would be okay, and now the ship has wrecked. How could you have let this happen?”

The reality is God didn’t let this happen, He saved the people from inevitable death and destruction. Their problem began when they ignored God’s leading and warning.

Now, the Lord saved them from a tragedy, but it was not without consequences.

Something we must remember, life is not a series of unrelated events. Every decision effects the next decision. (We don’t one day wake up shipwrecked and wonder how did we get here?)

Even though they were shipwrecked, God did save all of their lives just as He promised. But this was not without Satan’s attempt to kill Paul.

Some of the sailors worried that all of the prisoners would escape and swim to their freedom, so they wanted to kill the prisoners. They knew that if the prisoners escaped, they would be killed.

But the centurion wanted to spare Paul’s life because of the way he helped them in the storm.

When we are in God’s will, He will protect us and guide us.

Close:

The Holy Ghost really is a genius. In all we’ve studied about Paul, I have not discovered much about his abilities as a captain of a ship.

Therefore, it was not skill that told him what to do, but the Holy Spirit revealed to him.

There is a realm in God we can go where the Spirit will help us through whatever we face.

How do we get to this place?

Remember what Paul told the Romans, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.

I am of the opinion that praying in tongues is helpful and beneficial in our prayer life.

No wonder Paul wrote:

1 Corinthians 14:18 NKJV

18 I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all;

And Jude explained

Jude 20–21 NKJV

20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

God helps us through the Holy Spirit. Let’s commit to praying in the Spirit.