P.u.s.h. Series

P.U.S.H.- sermon

Thesis: The church needs to PUSH through in prayer for the breakthrough. We need to Prayer Until Something Happens.

Opening Illustration: Song by Mark Schultz “ He’s my son”

Mark states, “On May 22 1998, my friend John Baird’s 14 year-old son was diagnosed with Leukemia. I wrote this song during the middle of their year long battle.”

PLAY SONG with Scripture up on screen.

Mark shared at Group’s Convention that today years later John is in remission from this disease. Why? Because a father PUSHed through for his son.

Text: I Thess. 5:17 “Pray continually”

Ephesians 6:18 “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.”

P.U.S.H. – Clip

P = Pray

U = Until

S = Something

H = Happens

Acts 12:1-19 Read text on Peter’s release from prison brought on by prayer.

The Holy Bible, New International Version

Acts 12:1 (NIV)

1It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them.

Acts 12:2 (NIV)

2He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword.

Acts 12:3 (NIV)

3When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

Acts 12:4 (NIV)

4After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.

Acts 12:5 (NIV)

5So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.

Acts 12:6 (NIV)

6The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance.

Acts 12:7 (NIV)

7Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.

Acts 12:8 (NIV)

8Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.” And Peter did so. “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,” the angel told him.

Acts 12:9 (NIV)

9Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision.

Acts 12:10 (NIV)

10They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.

Acts 12:11 (NIV)

11Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating.”

Acts 12:12 (NIV)

12When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying.

Acts 12:13 (NIV)

13Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer the door.

Acts 12:14 (NIV)

14When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, “Peter is at the door!”

Acts 12:15 (NIV)

15“You’re out of your mind,” they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, “It must be his angel.”

Acts 12:16 (NIV)

16But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished.

Acts 12:17 (NIV)

17Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. “Tell James and the brothers about this,” he said, and then he left for another place.

Acts 12:18 (NIV)

18In the morning, there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter.

Acts 12:19 (NIV)

19After Herod had a thorough search made for him and did not find him, he cross-examined the guards and ordered that they be executed.

Then Herod went from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there a while.

Acts 12:20 (NIV)

20He had been quarreling with the people of Tyre and Sidon; they now joined together and sought an audience with him. Having secured the support of Blastus, a trusted personal servant of the king, they asked for peace, because they depended on the king’s country for their food supply.

Acts 12:21 (NIV)

21On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people.

Acts 12:22 (NIV)

22They shouted, “This is the voice of a god, not of a man.”