Call Me

The Power of Prayer

I’m sure most of you will remember the sniper incident that terrorized the Washington area for awhile.

Before they caught the snipers, they managed to kill 10 people and wounded 3.

What you may not know is, prayer played a vital role in bringing that situation to an end.

50 Christian truckers got together to pray that somehow the sniper terrorizing the Washington area would be caught.

Ron Lantz was scheduled to retire in a few days and didn’t even live in the area, but he felt sure that God would answer their prayers.

In fact, he told the others attending the prayer meeting that God was going to use him to catch the sniper.

A few days after they began to pray

Ron was listening to the radio as he was driving through the region

and he felt compelled to pull off the highway to a rest stop.

It was just a couple of miles from where the initial prayer meeting had taken place.

As he pulled in, he was shocked to see a car similar to what was being described on the radio.

Carefully trying to read the license plate, a chill went up his back as the numbers matched.

He quickly called 911 and stayed there for what he said were the longest 15 minutes of his life,

until the police arrived.

He pulled his truck across the exit,

so there would be no escape for these murderers.

The rest is history-

the snipers were taken into custody without incident

and the horrifying ordeal was over.

I heard that Ron Nantz attended a Nazarene Church and was a small group leader in his church.

I’m sure most people would look that and say that it was a coincidence...

But, I guess I’m not most people...

I believe that God heard the prayer of that group of truckers....

and many others who cried out to God...

I believe that God directed the mind of Ron Nantz...

And, I believe that God will direct us as well...

If we will humble ourselves before God in prayer...

and if we will listen to God’s voice when He speaks to us...

and, if we will obey, and do what God tells us to do.

I. The Promise in 33:3 Call unto Me

A. . in Person - Jeremiah see 1:1-10!!!!!!!

B. in Prison v1 faith !

The Hebrew word for "call" is the same word that is used in Psalm 147:9, to describe the "cry" of the young ravens for food.

C. in Purchase 33.4-5 / 32.6-15 // risk for God// invest in God // buy into God’s plan by faith

"Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you." - Jeremiah 32:17 (NIV)

D. in Provocation 32.31

* "Yes, but you don’t know my husband. He’ll never change." - NOTHING

* "Yes, but you don’t know my boss." - NOTHING

* "Yes, but you don’t know my situation" - NOTHING

"God Will Make a Way" (Don Moen), c. 1990 Integrity’s Hosanna! Music (ASCAP) (c/o Integrity Music, Inc.)

"God will make a way,

Where there seems to be no way,

He works in ways we cannot see,

He will make a way for me;

He will be my guide,

Hold me closely to His side,

With love and strength for each new day,

He will make a way, He will make a way."

II. The Pardon if you Call

A. resulting in Peace 33.6 / 32.37-44

If you compare that idea with the idea of prayer...

then you begin to see that our prayer life should be one of urgency...

we should be pouring out our hearts to God with great passion.

Now, I’ll be the first one to admit that we don’t have to break down into tears and convulsions everytime we pray...

sometimes our prayers are calm...quiet...and peaceful...

sometimes we meditate without great emotion...

but there should be other times....

times when our prayer becomes so urgent that we literally break down in tears...

there should be times when our hearts are so broken with whatever the burden is...that perhaps we cannot even mention the words...and we just communicate in groans and cries that only God could understand.

ILL>>>John Bunyan wrote, "When thou prayest, rather let thy heart be without words than thy words without heart."

There are many verses in the Bible that exhort us to "call upon God"

Psalm 50:15 says, "call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you"

Jeremiah 29:12-13 says, "you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart"