What Happens When A Church Prays?

Acts 4:23-31

Outline for Feb. 10, 2002

We are called to prayer today
I want every Christian in the building today to enter into a season of prayer for this church.
Prayer was essential to the early church, and it must be essential to our church as well if we are to experience growth.

The members of the early church were continually in prayer, and we too, must follow their example. All of the power of God is at our disposal today, if we will but come to him in prayer.

Paul encouraged the early church to pray in Romans 15:30

“Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God.....”

Peter and John were arrested for preaching, and first thing they did was pray with great boldness.
They prayed that God would let them speak more on the very subject that got them thrown in jail.

The Early Church Responded To God in Prayer

They were thankful for the deliverance of God.

When Peter and John were released, they saw it as evidence that the prayers of the saints were effective, and they recognized God’s power when they saw it.
They had an impromptu worship service to thank God.

They were united in their prayers.

V. 24 says they were in “one accord”
We must be united in our prayers. We must speak with one voice.
Together we are much stronger than separately.

The Early Church Recognized God.

They recognized his sovereignty. They called him the creator and realized they were the creation.
They recognized his sovereignty in judgment. He would judge the just and the unjust.
We too must release the idea that we are somehow in control, and concentrate on God’s sovereignty in our life.

The Early Church Requested from God

They requested the opportunity to continue to serve.

They weren’t concerned about their safety, but rather they were concerned that they receive the power to keep on serving in spikte of the difficult circumstances.
“Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.” Colossians 4:6 (NKJV)

They expected results.

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.”
When God answers our prayers, we are changed.

We need this changing power of prayer that the early church had. When a church prays, God moves. May we make that commitment today.

I want to challenge you to do three things with me
1. Wherever you are spiritually, commit your heart anew to God.
2. Commit yourself to the body of Christ.
3. Commit yourself to be used of God in this local assemby.
Now is the time to move off of dead center.
Now is the time to get involved.
We need you to pray for our church.
We need you to work, to reach this community.
We need you to commit your resources.