WHEN WOMEN PRAY
Text: Act 1:4,14; 12:5, 12-17
Intro: Into the late 20 century women were on the move and they moved from being homemakers to women of the marketplace. I have no problem with this trend. Yet, I think we should be aware that because of the high demands now placed upon our wive's and mother's, the amount of praying that's now going on in the homes has been deeply and considerately impacted. In years past, women who were stay at home mothers were “all day” prayers many of them.
While they cleaned, they prayed
While they gave the children bath's, they prayed
While they cooked, they prayed
While they mopped, they prayed
As they prayed, churches experienced unprecedented revival during these times.
Today, because of all of the demands that we place upon our wive's, mother's & grandmothers, they have a hard time finding even a second to pray for their family, their church and the lost.
Prop: In times past, the prayer movements of women made a significant difference in the spiritual climate of the church.
We need to get back to that place where women pray with out ceasing. You don't have to quit your job to do it, you don't have to quit being a strong women to do it and you don't have to change who you are to do it.
WE ALL JUST NEED TO SIMPLY COME BACK TO THAT PLACE, WHEN WE PRAYED WITH OUT CEASING!!!
Ladies, you can pray when you're are driving to work and from work!!!
Ladies, you can pray when you're clipping coupons!!!
Ladies, you can pray when you're getting your manicure and pedicure!!!
Ladies, you can pray when you're shopping!!! Husbands say no, that's when I need to pray!!!
Ladies, where ever you're at and whatever you're doing, YOU CAN PRAY FOR GOD'S BLESSING AND TOUCH UPON THOSE YOU LOVE!
Inter: What happens when women pray?
Acts 1:4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they#should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.
Acts 1:14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.
Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
Acts 2:2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
Acts 2:3 And there appeared unto them#cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
Acts 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts 2:14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
Acts 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
1. WHEN WOMEN PRAY, THEY TOUCH THE HEART OF GOD
A. You can find support for this in the story of Hannah! As you read the text, you find out that she moved God's hand to action and was that God supernaturally prepared her body/her ovaries/her eggs for an immediate pregnancy.
B. We need to ask ourselves, what caused God to respond so quickly and so powerfully?
C. I believe that the answer is found in her femininity and womanhood. The fact that she was not embarrassed to lay it all out there before God. “She poured out her soul before God!”
D. She made her soul bare before God and had become so vulnerable emotionally that Eli the priest thought that she had been drinking.
TRANSITION: WHAT ELSE HAPPENS WHEN WOMEN PRAY?
2. WHEN WOMEN PRAY, THE CHURCH IS EMPOWERED TO BE A WITNESS
A. To live holy/ pure
1. The weak in the church become strong when empowered by God.
2. We cannot live holy / pure apart from God's enabling power at work w/in us.
a) Jesus at garden of Gethsemenee
b) Paul's prayer for help
3. As we are enabled to live holy, we#are then enabled to witness effectively to others.
B. For preachers to communicate the gospel
Eph 6:18 praying always with all#prayer and supplication in the spirit,#and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
eph 6:19 and for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that i may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,
eph 6:20 for which i am an ambassador in bonds: that therein i may speak boldly, as i ought to speak.
1. God gives them a message
2. God gives them boldness – Timid men become towers!
3. God fills them with power -Natural men become supernatural proclaimers of divine truth.
4. God enables them to speak clearly.
a) Moses
5. God causes their preaching to add#souls to the Kingdom of God.
C. TO MAKE JESUS KNOW
1. To Tell who He is!
a) Bread of Life - Never hunger
b) Light of world - Never live in#darkness
c) Good Shepherd - Cares for His#sheep
d) Resurrection/ life - raise you#from death of trespasses / sin.
2. By lifting up His name through#dynamic praise.
3. By demonstrations/ miraculous#manifestations (empowerment).
TRANS: 3RDLY, WHEN WOMEN PRAY, THOSE WHO ARE BOUND/TORMENTED ARE DELIVERED BY GOD!
3. WHEN WOMEN PRAY, THE BOUND/TORMENTED ARE DELIEVERED - ACT 12:5, 12-17
Acts 12:5 Peter therefore was kept in#prison: but prayer was made without#ceasing of the church unto God for#him.
Acts 12:12 And when he had considered#the thing, he came to the house of#Mary the mother of John, whose surname#was Mark; where many were gathered#together praying.
Acts 12:13 And as Peter knocked at the#door of the gate, a damsel came to#hearken, named Rhoda.
Acts 12:14 And when she knew Peter's#voice, she opened not the gate for#gladness, but ran in, and told how#Peter stood before the gate.
Acts 12:15 And they said unto her,#Thou art mad. But she constantly#affirmed that it was even so. Then#said they, It is his angel.
Acts 12:16 But Peter continued#knocking: and when they had opened the#door, and saw him, they were#astonished.
Acts 12:17 But he, beckoning unto them#with the hand to hold their peace,#declared unto them how the Lord had#brought him out of the prison. And he#said, Go shew these things unto James,#and to the brethren. And he departed,#and went into another place.
A. OF PREACHERS FROM EVIL [PETER]
1. Those intending harm to the ministry.
2. Though an entire host should stand against him they will not succeed!
Psalm 27:3 Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.
Psalm 27:4 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.
Psalm 27:5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
B. FROM CAPTIVITY
1. That is circumstantial
2. Of Sin
C. THAT ASTONISHES PEOPLE
1. They will not believe what they see!
2. They will stand in awe of Him.
3. They will know that God has done the miracle.
Luke 7:14 And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.
Luke 7:15 And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.
Luke 7:16 And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people.
Trans: When women pray, God sends supernatural unity to the church!!!
4. WHEN WOMEN PRAY, THE CHURCH EXPERIENCES UNITY
Acts 12:12 And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying.
A. That destroys division/disagreement.
1. No time to argue because we are all to busy praying together.
2. Perspectives change
a) Prayer changes me!
B. PEOPLE RALLY AROUND NEEDS
1. We have church, because of the needs of people (need driven church)
2. Needs are met
C. PEOPLE RALLY AROUND THE PASTOR
1. People / Pastor partner to build the Kingdom of God.
Concl: Ladies and congregates of CWC, today, let's make a commitment to birth a new prayer movement in this church and in this city. Let's pray daily for the spiritual climate of the people of our church/for our services/for the lost in our community/especially for your own family and friends. It is your duty to pray for them. YOUR PRAYERS WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
Revivalist record the impact of the prayer life of Phobe Palmer in the holiness movement.
In this spiral of spiritual, social, moral and political degeneracy of the decade preceding 1857, God looked for a man, but he found a women, Phoebe Palmer. She was the wife of a Holiness Methodist physician in New York.
For years she had been cloistered away in her prayer closet and study until she was so filled with the Spirit she "spoke the Word of God with Boldness,"(Acts 4:31).
She initially convened a Tuesday Meeting in her home ... and became a catalyst for a movement which changed the shape of American Protestantism.
From an affluent home, her head became waters and her eyes fountains of tears that she might weep day and night for the poor that inhabited the ghettos, the unfortunate and illegitimate.
Her theme was - the Spirit's baptism is the secret of pulpit power and the fountain of spiritual energy.
In the decade of the 1850's, Phoebe's physician husband, Dr. Walter Palmer, decided to retire from his medical practice and accompany her as an evangelistic team.
The New York Journal notated about one of her meetings, "It was an extraordinary revival," Prayer was a significant part of her services "with all classes kneeling at the altar, from little children to the city mayor."
By the close of 1857 these anointed meetings had so impacted the churches in the eastern states that many of them came to call conferences on prayer and set aside one day to pray weekly.
He went on to qoute, "Palmer might well be called the 'Mother of the Holiness Movement' which eventually gave birth to such denominations as the Church of the Nazarene, the Church of God (Anderson, Ind.), The salvation army, and also pentecostal groups lke the Assemblies of God, The pentecostal Holiness and the Church of God, (Cleveland, Tenn.)
