A Precedent for Powerful Prayer

HOW TO GET YOUR PRAYERS ANSWERED

A PRECEDENT FOR POWERFUL PRAYER

Acts 12:1-16

Bobby Earls, First Baptist Church, Icard, NC

Wednesday, May 17, 2000

INTRODUCTION: In this series on how to get answers to your prayers we have learned that Jesus gave a model prayer, as our pattern for praying. Tonight we will look at an example of how the early church took up this model of prayer and used it in a difficult situation.

This is a precedent for powerful prayer that is repeated many times in scripture.

I. The Ministry of This Prayer

A. Trials, tribulations and problems are allowed by God to bring us to our knees before him.

B. Many believers are entrapped in their own personal prison and can only be delivered by prayer.

1. The prison of depression

2. The prison of circumstances

3. The prison of doubt

4. The prison of fear

5. The prison of indecision

II. The Manner of This Prayer - Verse 5

A. The fervency of this prayer - verse 5

"without ceasing" may be translated intensely. (NLT says the church prayed very earnestly for him.)

1. Sometimes prayers are not answered because of their lack of intensity.

Jeremiah 29:12-13 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

2. The attitude of the heart is more important than the posture of the body.

Romans 15:30, Dear brothers and sisters, I urge you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. Do this because of your love for me, given to you by the Holy Spirit.

James 5:16 Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results.

B. The fellowship of this prayer

The prayer was made without ceasing "of the church."

1. This was a fellowship of prayer.

2. Jesus taught that there is power in agreement in prayer.

C. The faith of this prayer

Prayer was made without ceasing of the church "to God." - Verse 5

1. They recognized God as their only source.

2. Jesus warned about praying to be heard of men rather than praying to be heard of God. - Matthew 6:5&6

D. The focus of this prayer The prayer was made without ceasing of the church to God "for him." V.5

1. God's answer to your prayer is going to be just as definite as your asking.

2. We must guard against praying general prayers.

Ill. The Miracle of This Prayer - Verses 6-16

A. The miracle of a late answer 1. The prayer was answered only a few hours before Peter was to be beheaded.2. God was teaching them that "God's delays are not God's denials." B. The miracle of a leisurely answer 1. In spite of the fact that he is to be killed the next day, Peter is sleeping. - Verse 72. The angel instructs Peter to dress himself. - Verse 8 C. The miracle of a limited answer 1. The angel of God did for Peter everything he couldn't do for himself. - Verse 102. Prayer is not a substitute for work. When Peter was safely delivered the angel departed from him. - Verse 103. Jesus raised Lazarus from the grave but he told the men who stood by to roll away the stone.4. God brought the walls of Jericho down but Joshua and the people of Israel had to march around the walls in obedience to God's command.5. Prayer and obedience are inseperably linked.