A Knock At Midnight Series

A KNOCK AT MIDNIGHT

LUKE 11: 5—8

Introduction….Prayer is perhaps the most important arsenial the christian has at his / her disposal. This message is a continuation of the sermon I preached on the power of prayer. So you could call this message the power of prayer part 2. this message deals with the significance of PERSISTENT PRAYER.

Midnight is 1200 pm a time of the day,…it denotes the darkness hour before day…each one of us have had to deal with midnight…When midnight shifts from the time of the day to a condition in life, then midnight can come at high noon. Midnight comes when we least expect it, just takes one phone call, one knock at the door, one telegram. Midnight will come into all our lives at some point if we continue to live.

SOME EXAMPLES OF MIDNIGHT

LOVED ONE IS ROLLED INTO INTENSIVE CARE----DOCTOR TELLS YOU THAT MODERN MEDICINE WILL DO NO GOOD.-

RESPONSIBLE FOR A MORTAGE, CAR BILLS & FAMILY AND THEN .LOOSE YOUR JOB..

CERTIFIED LETTER FROM IRS / BANK…ASSETS FROZEN

BEEN MARRIED FOR 10 YEARS, WITH CHILDREN…...SPOUSE WALKS OUT

RAISE A CHILD..NURTURE HIM..INSTILL GODLY PRINCIPLES……THEN HE TURNS HIS BACK ON YOU AND VIOLATES ALL THOSE PRINCIPLES

ITS PROM NITE..PHONE RINGS… YOUR ONLY DAUGHTER HAS BEEN KILLED.

PASTOR TRYING TO LEAD THE CHURCH, MOVE THEM TO A HIGHER LEVEL WITH GOD AND THEY TURN A DEAF EAR…………..

(ASK JOB ABOUT MIDNIGHT)………….

WHEN ADAM SINNED IT WAS MIDNIGHT IN THE GARDEN

DOG BARKED AT THE CAT -ROOSTER CROWED AT MIDDAY

GRASS TURNED BROWN SNAKE NO LONGER WALKED BUT CRAWLED

LION ATTACKED THE LAMB - MAN’S ENJOYMENT TURNED INTO EMPLOYMENT

RIVERS, CREEKS DRIED UP

DEATH GRABBED THE KEYS TO HELL AND THE GRAVE

SEASONS CHANGED

TEXT

THE MAN WAS IN A DILEMNA - HE WAS ALSO DETERMINED

HE GOES WITH BOLDNESS AND EXPECTATIONS

HE HAD A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS NEIGHBOR

THE NEIGHBOR KNOWS HIS VOICE

HE GOES ON BEHALF OF A FRIEND

WE CAN ALSO GO TO GOD IN PRAYER IN THE VERY SAME MANNER.

HE GOES TO HIS NEIGHBORS HOUSE AND KNOCKS. NEIGHBOR SAYS GO AWAY I AM IN BED ASLEEP WITH MY WIFE AND CHILDREN AND CANNOT GET UP. HE CONTINUES TO KNOCK AND TELLS HIM TO GET UP AND MAKE ME SOME BREAD. THOSE DAYS BREAD WAS MADE ON A DAILY BASIS SINCE THET DID NOT HAVE ANY MEANS FOR STORAGE, SO HE WAS ASKING NOT JUST GIVE ME SOME BREAD, BUT MAKE SOME.

THE HOUSES IN THOSE DAYS WERE A ONE ROOM HOUSE.HAD ONLY ONE DOOR. DURING THE DAY THE DOOR WAS LEFT OPEN WHICH INDICATED ANYONE WAS WELCOMED TO JUST WALK IN. HOWEVER AT EVENING TIME THE DOOR WAS SHUT WHICH MEANT THE OWNER WAS NOT TAKING VISITORS. A PORTION OF THE FLOOR WAS ELEVATED WHERE EVERYONE SLEPT TOGETHER. SO TO GET UP MEANT HE WOULD WAKE HIS WHOLE FAMILY..HE CONTINUES TO KNOCK UNTIL THE NEIGHBOR GETS UP AND HONORS HIS REQUEST. THE APOSTLE PAUL TELLS US WE CAN GO TO THE FATHER THE SAME WAY WITH BOLDNESS AND EXPECTATIONS. WE HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FATHER. HE RECOGNIZES OUR VOICE, AND HE IS MERCIFUL AND WILL GRANT THE DESIRES OF OUR HEART.

JACOB WRESTLE WITH AN ANGEL ALL NIGHT

WE NEED TO ASK….WE NEED TO PRESS “ASK AND IT SHALL BE GIVEN, SEEK AND WE WOULD FIND…KNOCK AND THE DOOR WILL BE OPEN

IF I COULD PRAY LIKE………….

MOSES – WE COULD FEED THE WHOLE WORLD

ELIJAH –( FIRE FROM HEAVEN) THE- LOVE OF GOD WOULD PREMEATE THE WORLD

JEREMIAH –WE COULD WIPE AWAY ALL TEARS

DANIEL ( OUT THE WINDOW) EVERY HILL BE BROUGHT LOW / CROOKED WAYS MADE STRAIGHT.

HAGGI – NO MORE BABIES BORN OUT OF WEDLOCK

HEZEKIAH – EVERY TIME THE DEATH ANGEL STOPPED BY GOD WOULD GRANT LENGHTEN LIFE.

PAUL / SILAS - INNOCENT PRISONERS WOULD LEAVE THEIR JAIL CELLS AND WALKED THE STREETS LIKE A FREE MAN.-CANCER PAIENTS WOULD LEAVE THE M D ANDERSONS OF THE WORLD AND GO HOME. – DIABETES PATIENTS WOULD THROW AWAY THEIR INSULIN NEEDLES, -

DAVID DID – GOD WOULD CREATE IN US A CLEAN HEART

JABEZ PRAYED – WE COULD TEAR DOWN THESE WALLS AND ENLARGE OUR TERRITORY.

JOSEPH – BE NO FAMINE IN THE LAND - NO STARVATION

IF I COULD PRAY LIKE JESUS DID:

DRUG ADDICT WILL THROW AWAY HIS NEEDLE

WHITE PEOPLE & BLACK PEOPLE COULD LIVE TOGETHER

ACHOLIC WILL LAY DOWN HIS BOTTLE

PROSTITUTE WILL STOP TURNING TRICKS

LION WILL LAY DOWN WITH THE LAMB

DEAD IN CHRIST WOULD RISE

Conclusion: we must be consistent in our prayer life.

IN THE GARDEN OF GESTHSEMINE JESUS PRAYED…LET THIS CUP……

SWEAT LIKE DROPS OF BLOOD CAME DOWN……. A 6 WINGED ANGEL CAME AND MINISTERED TO HIM

THEN ON THE CROSS HE PRAYED “FATHER INTO THY HANDS I COMMEND………