Acts 12

Peter Miraculous Escape

Herod began arresting some of the Christians intending on persecuting them.  He killed James, the brother of John.  Peter was arrested and put in prison, but the church was earnestly praying for Peter.  The night before his trial and while he was sleeping an angel came and his chains fell off and the gates where opened and with the help of the angel Peter escaped.  Peter sleeping demonstrates the power of prayer, peace and trust in the Lord. 

The church prayed earnestly to God.  Many times our prayers are weak and matter of fact or even habit.  We don’t really come into the presence of our great and holy God.  They prayed trusting God for the outcome.

Why are we so surprised when God answers our prayers?

Prayer is usually for petition, but it’s much more.  When praying, you should include the A. C. T. S.

A – Adoration of God

C – Confession of sin

T – Thanksgiving

S – Supplification

Does it make a difference, if we pray?  The Scriptures say we should pray continually (1 Thess. 5:17) and to pray for your enemies. (Matt. 5:44)

How are you earnestly praying for your church?

Are you praying for other believers?

Prayer is a vehicle for God to change us.  When we get away in a quiet place to be with God in prayer, it changes our thought and desires.

There are great lessons on prayer in chapter 12:

1.       Prayer works – the church constantly prayed for Peter when he was in prison.  God sent his angels and miracles happened.  His chains fell off and he was freed.

2.      We need to remember this example and have faith that God will answer our prayers.

3.      God answers prayer.

Principles:  God acts with power to bring change through people’s prayers.

James was martyred and Peter was rescued.  We don’t know God’s reasons for this, because only He knows the reasons He does things.  Being a believer doesn’t mean God will always deliver us from trials.  He doesn’t love us less when He allows tragedy into our lives.  He loved both James and Peter, but allowed James to die.

Herod’s Death

Herod went to Caesarea, because the people of Tyre and Sidon had been quarreling with him over their food supply.  He put on his finest clothes and addressed the people.  They shouted praises to Herod calling him a god, which was typical in those days to look on leaders as gods.  Herod loved the power and all the praises.  He didn’t give glory to God, but took it for himself.  So the Lord struck him down and he was eaten by worms and died.  But the Word of God continued to increase and spread.

Today we look up to political leaders, movie stars, and rock stars.  Some hang on to their every word and if we don’t watch out, they will influence us in ways of the world.  They are a type of god to us.  They even think of themselves as gods.  God wants us to give Him the glory and glorify Him alone. 

He gives judgment when judgment is needed.  He has the final say, because He is in charge.  If we seek glory for ourselves, the Lord will surely humble us.  Be aware of the temptation of pride and taking credit for ourselves when it’s God who deserves the praise.

Principle:  To seek glory for ourselves is to commit eternal suicide.

Join me here next week for our next study of the Acts of the Apostles.  We will take a detour from the book of Acts and study 1 Peter 1-2.  --  I encourage you to trust in Jesus.

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What is Prayer?

Prayer is communication with God.  It’s talking with and hearing from Him.  We can learn a lot about prayer from Jesus.  Just look at Jesus’ prayer life.  In Luke 5:16, “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”  He prayed often prayed and in solitude.  He thought it was important.  If Jesus felt the need to pray then how much more should we? 

Jesus had a special place to pray.  In Matt. 26 He went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray.  We need to find time and a place to pray.  Do you have a special place where you go to pray?  Go to your bedroom or outside on your porch or under a tree.  Go any place where you can be alone and away from the phone and any interruptions.  That doesn’t mean we can’t pray while we’re in our car or at the grocery.  The idea is to pray wherever you are.

Jesus was effective in prayer, because He prayed.  When Jesus prayed in the Garden, He could have asked God to send angels to come and save Him from the horrible death He knew He was about to experience, but He didn’t.  Jesus always prayed in God’s will.  Maybe there’s something you are praying for that is not in God’s will.  If so, maybe you shouldn’t be praying for that.  The more you pray according to His will the more blessings He will give you. Also God heard Jesus’ prayers because of His reverent submission. (Heb. 5:7b).

Are you in referent submission to God?

How willing are you to live with His answer to your prayer?

Principle:  Jesus was successful in prayer, because He prayed and because of His reference submission. 

Why is prayer so hard?

I will be the first to admit that prayer is hard.  It’s hard because it takes focus, time, discipline and obedience.  It requires waiting on an answer from God.  It’s hard because we think we can get more done and done quicker by ourselves.  Prayer is misunderstood.  We’re not sure just how to pray.  We think our requests are too small for God.  We’re not sure they will even make a difference.  We think we have to pray long prayers or pray like we hear others pray.

The purpose of prayer if to align our hearts with God’s not for Him to give us what we want.  We should not pray only when things aren’t going the way we want.  Jesus prayed when things were going well and when they weren’t.  You don’t have to have years in the church or in Bible study to pray successful.  Jesus prayed in the good times, the bad times and in average times.  You can know a lot about prayer, but if you don’t practice prayer it does you no good.  

Principle: Pray in the good times, the bad times and in the average times.

Are you practicing prayer on all occasions?

How often should we pray?

1 Thess. 5:17 says “pray continually”.  We should all pray more.  That’s simply enough.  We can’t be successful in prayer if we don’t pray.  As I said before, Jesus was successful in prayer because He prayed. 

Pray throughout the day and remember God is always with you.  It’s like being with a friend.  If your friend is with you, you have conversations with your friend don’t you?  You share what you’re thinking and you listen to what your friend says.  It’s like that with God.  He is always with you so just pray through your day whatever the situation.  Just talk with Him.  Then take time a listen so He can speak to you.

There is private prayer and there is public prayer.  In private we are to be persistent, thankful and can pray anywhere and at any time.  In public we are to be wise in our conduct and in our words so we can be effective witnesses of Christ as others hear our prayers.  Don’t worry about what others think, just open your heart to God.

Principle:  Pray continually.

Do you worry what others think when you pray?

How should we pray?

Col. 4:2 – “Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving.”  We are to pray persistently, watchfully, and thankfully. 

Pray persistently.  “Pray without ceasing”. – 1 Thess. 5:17.   Without ceasing doesn’t mean nonstop prayer every minute of the day.  That would be impossible.  It means coming back to prayer again and again and over and over.

Pray watchfully.  This is how we stay alert against the unseen enemy.  Prayer is the energy and power in which we wage war.  We must live in prayer at all times so we can win the spiritual battle.  It’s how we are strengthened in the power of God.  It’s how we put on the full armor of God.  It’s also expecting Him to answer.

Pray thankfully.  That is to pray in faith in all circumstances.  Don’t forget to thank God in advance for what He’s going to do.

Principle:  Pray persistently, watchfully, and thankfully.

Do you thank God in advance for how He will answer your prayer?

Has your prayer life become routine and boring?

Jesus said to His disciples in Matt. 26:41 when they fell asleep instead of praying, “the spirit is willing, but the body is weak”.  We are like the disciples and easily distracted and tempted.  It’s all too common to start to pray and then we start thinking of all we have to do and let our focus wonder from prayer or even fall asleep.  We want to pray, but our flesh is weak.  We need to stick to it and not give up and eventually it will become something we look forward to doing.

To get out of your routine prayers, pray for your inter-self.  Don’t just pray for material things.  Pray for strength and power through His Spirit to be within you.  Pray that Christ would dwell in your heart through faith and that you will be rooted and grounder in love.  Pray that you will be able to extent the love of Christ to others.  Pray that you will be filled up to all the fullness of God.  Pray for God to do far more that what you ask. 

When Paul was in prison, he didn’t pray for God to set him free or give him more food to eat.  He didn’t pray for his physical or material needs.  He prayed for more spiritual growth.  Pray with the right attitude and with reverence and in submission to God’s sovereign authority.  Don’t pray small safe prayers.  Pray BIG prayers.  God can handle them.  There are no prayer too big for God.

Sometimes God doesn’t answer our prayers the way we had hoped.  There is a mystery about prayer and we can’t always understand God’s ways, but know that He wants the best for us.

Principle:  Pray in reverence and submission to God’s sovereign authority.

Has your prayer life become dry or lazy?

Are you discouraged and don’t know what to say?

Do you doubt that God is listening to you? 

Ways to help your prayer life.

Choose a specific place to pray away from distractions.

Pray at the same time every day making it part of your routine so it will become a habit.

Pray out loud - even though you pray often under your breath.

Keep a note pad to jot down things that come to mind.

Make a list keeping track of your prayer needs and leave space for when God’s answers.

Include praise, thanksgiving and even singing.

Spend some of your time reflecting on Scripture.

Have a prayer partner for accountability.

Pray one sentence prayers praying short sincere prayers.

Use ACTS when praying –

   A - Adoration, praising God for who He is.

   C - Confession, telling Him what you’ve done wrong and asking Him for forgiveness.

   T - Thanksgiving, thank Him for what He’s doing in your life or prayers He’s answered.

   S - Supplication, asking God for daily needs for yourself and others.

Don’t over think your prayers.

In closing, don’t over think your prayers.  Prayer is merely directing your mind and heart in the direction of God and just talking with Him.  Talk to God about everything that matters to you.  Pray until something happens.  Don’t give up.  Keep on praying.  God cares and listens to you.  He wants us to come to Him.  He is waiting for us to fellowship with Him.

Principle:  Prayer is simply talking with God.

Have a blessed day and thanks for visiting my site.  Hope to see you here again.  --  I encourage you to trust in Jesus and pray often.

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How to pray for someone on drugs?

Do you know someone who is enslaved by the use of narcotics or alcohol or some other destructing habit?  You’ve done everything you can think of to help them, but to no avail.  God cares and knows you and the addicted person is hurting.  He wants to help.  You pray for them, but you are not really sure of how to pray.  Here is sample prayer you might use.

            Jesus, you are the same yesterday and today and forever and nothing is impossible for you.  You have the power to heal those who are struggling with addictions.  I pray for name here and lift him/her up to you and ask that you strip him/her from the unhealthy desires.  I pray that they no longer desire to be a slave of wrong habits and behaviors or be under these powers.  Help them to reach out for help.  Put God-fearing people in their path to help and support them.

            Help them not continue to make the same mistakes over and over.  Expose them to these wrong thought patterns.  I pray that they confess this as sin and turn to you. May they desire to be filled and controlled by your Holy Spirit.

            Show them ways and open doors in which they may beat these bad habits and cravings.  Put good influences in their life while taking those that are bad out of their life.  Surround name here  with good and wholesome people to support them.  Give them courage and hope.  Bless them with the persistence to preserver.

            You, Lord are our Creator and we trust you.  We turn name here over to you.  Put your loving arms around name here and protect him/her from the enemy’s powers.

            Thank you, God for hearing my prayer.  I believe that you are working on name here behalf.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Now keep praying and don’t give up.  Remember you can’t fix them, only God can.  He is the one who is in control.  You just be supportive and faithful in prayer.

“Pray without ceasing” – 1 Thess. 5:17

Thanks for visiting my site.  Hope to see you here next time.

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