Prayer Works
Victory Temple A/G
PO Box 911
Waco, Tx76703
Pastor Danny L. Williams
November 7, 1999
Text: Acts16: 25-31
Intro: For so many year’s , We the church have coward in the corner. As people ask us , Where is your God ? Where are his mighty act’s Where are the great thing’s that happened in the word of God? where are the miricales? But is seem’s that for the past several years we have been a shell for what we could be for God . and many of we wonder and begin to ask questions in our selves is it really real?does God still do it?
But ask yourself " Is this as close to God as I will ever get in my life?"
Will I ever be in the place in my life that I will begin to enjoy God’s peace and deep Joy?
And if so how do I get there?
There was a discussion about church Growth, and One man said I dont know why the church is not winning the battle? The church Has grown and expanded as never before in history..
And the other fellow resonded Yes, its ten miles wide but only a quarter inch thick.
That’s where we have lost it
We have no base..(foundation)
See Church if we are ever going to Grow broader me must First Grow Deeper.
That is where many of us struggle , We want the blessing’s of Growth , but we don’t want the responsibility of depth.
And it is the lack of depth that has allowed so many of us to begin to ask those tough question’s.
question ’s like " does God really hear us? does Prayer really work? and if it does why haven’t I seen any thing?
You begin to ask yourself , does prayer really work?
but understand this Morning that God want’s us to begin to Grow deeper in our relationship with him ..
You say pastor where do I start?
Vs 16-24 (Back ground)
Everything has gone wrong it seem’s for Paul and silias,
they were minding there own business Ministring to people and wamo... this fruit loop show’s up...
and annois them and mockes them
So they do what every preacher would do,
Cast the demond out of her. ( that remind’s me we will be praying for any body that want’s it at the end of the service>>> hahahahahaha)
Then there master get’s Mad and Has Paul and Silias beatten and thrown in prision...
Thing’s are a little ruff wouldn’t you say?
But how did they respond?
How did they enter into God ’s provision’s
I. they sought his Purpose
Vs. 25
But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying,and singing hymns to God, and the prisioners were listening to them.
Notice it say’s at midnight, they were not up wringing there hand’s , pacing the Jail, worring all night trying to figure it out themselves. they were praying
Physically they were brusied ,beaten and bashed, then were thrown in jail.
Question? would you feel like praying at midnight?
But look at the Sacrifice that they made to seek God at the Darkest Times
I’m sure they really didn’t feel like praying...
Have you ever had dark times, where you didn’t feel like praying?
See when they prayed at midnight , it was the darkest hour of the night and they knew that it wouldn’t be light for hour’s , However they began to pray... They sensened an urgentcey to pray..and a convection that God will deliver.
1. they were not talking to each other,or the other prisoner’s, asking how are we going to get out of this mess? they were focusing on God
See church that’s it We need to Look vertically on God to strenghen us rather that Horizonally on each other.
2. see : praying and praising go hand in hand. together they are powerful weapon’s
when we begin to pray , God will open the door for praise.
even thought they were in prision they prayed>>>>
Where do you pray? where is your prayer closet?
See the atmosphere and format of prayer will vary: But that is not nearly as important as it’s essence, touching the Almighty with our whole being , and what matter’s most is that we have an encounter with the God of the universe....
Look at what happen’s when they begin to pray and praise.
and to seek God’s purpose.
II.They experienced his Power...
vs 26. Suddenly there was a great earth quake. So that the foundation of the prison were shaken..
1.Notice the word Suddenly" what a response, it doesn’t say slowly , it say’s suddenly, . .. that word suddenly mean’s "Without warning", unexpected.
It’s like would you do this , this and this, and baaamm .. Suddenly he answer’s
Have you ever ordered a package and had to wait on it?
Example>>>>> I ordered some new bulletin’s for our church .. and I have been waiting , for a while so I called them to see if my order was still in ,,,, and You know what they said? """ FOUR to SIX week’s sir "
I don’t know about you but I need God to send some suddenly’s in my life,
How many of you want the suddenly’s
Not the four to six week’s
Vs 26 there was a great earth quake so that the foundation’s of the prision were shakin,,,
2. prayer and praise will always bring a great earthquake
why?
3. Because God want’s to shake loose the foundation’s of your circumstances this morning...
There are something’s in my life that , I need God to begin to quake and shake , this morning.
See: in my prayer time , I don’t look for God to send an earthquake, I don’t usally feel goose bump or hear thunder.
I dont’ ask for a sign? Lord let the moon turn bloody.... Fleecing God
the problem with fleecing is that a sign will not alway’s be given,
Jesus said blessed is he who has not seen and belive’s
Sign’s
that’s not the point...............
Why? Because the power of prayer comes from within ,
It’s when you enter into his presence’s
See: the earth quaked was a result of there prayer.
Two men were talking , and one said " there are to many mountain’s in my life and I can’t go one any more , But the other Guy said yeh Only God can move a mountain’s , but prayer moves God.
What is the mountain in your life??
Vs 26
And immediately all the doors were opened and everyones chains were loosed,
how fast is immediately? Right now....." means’ with out lap’s of time
See that is what I like about God , He does not answer with next day mail ,
it say’s immediately,
All the door’s were opened,
you want God to open door’s?
A. that Job your applying for
How many of you have ever prayed before an interview?
Did you get the Job?
B. how many of you ever prayed before a test ?
I’m not going to ask you if you passed
why?
when I was a boy , I wouldn’t study for a test , and when test time came I would Pray. God help me with this test even though I didn’t study at least help me to quess good.......amen
those thing’s we struggle with , prayer will open the door’s
B. and everyones chains were loosed
1. How many of you need the chain’s loosed ?
That Child that is not serving God ,
those return habit’s that seperate you from God
That relationship that has you bound in fear...
See church God will loose other’s as a result of your prayer
2. Paul and Silias’ prayer , loosed the other’s also..
this is a perfect example of intercessory prayer....
I tell you this morning by the power of the holy spirit , if it were not for momma’s prayer’s and God’s amazing grace , I would not be alive today....
See pray change’s thing’s
it rearranges thing’s
You can be loosed this morning...
Not only did they seek his purpose and experience his power but
III. They Discovered his Plan
Have you ever gone through something and asked God why?
What is the Plan here God? Why am I going through this?
see : that’s the Key " going through"
there is the other side.....
Vs. 27 - 30
1. the keeper of the prision.
Your Boss, that doesn’t like you and yet you begin to pray for a promotion .
when the company say’s there will be no promotion’s this year,
and God open’s the door’s and Looose’s the chain’s...
And you are now his Boss
But then he ask’s you how you did it
And you begin to tell him about Jesus..and how you prayed...
Notice his response....
VS. 29
He fell down trembeling ,Why? because of paul?
No ,
See church it’s not the man , it’s God in the man,
It’s not the vessel , it’s God in the vessel....
Vs 30, Sir’s , what must I do to be saved?
He saw his weakness , when God showed his strength..
See: that is the God’s Plan to strenthen our weakness ,why ? He can’t resist those who humbly and Honestly admit, How desperate they need him,
Our weakness in fact makes room for his power...
Example? You have a need in your life and you come to the altar , and ask some one pray’s with you,
Why would you ask?
When my wife had a miscarriage this summer , I called Dad to pray..
Why?
on mother’s day of this year Susan’s dad passed away.... suddenly ..
We called our Pastor for prayer...
Why?
See : in my Life , there are certain people that I go to for prayer,
Why ?
Because I know they Pray for real.. Nothing wavering....
and other’s I won’t ask
Why?
Because I know they don’t pray...
Have you ever told any one about a problem and they say I will be praying for you?
Beware of someone that say’s I will be praying for you,
Why?
If they really mean it they will do it right there and now...
that’s not to say they won’t pray at home , But let’s be real church,
We all have problem’s of our own.... and we are selfish in prayer...
But we need each other in time’s of weakness, it’s called baring one another’s burden’s
Church : When you pray together don’t focus on each other , or what they say,
to be your deliverance , If you do you will walk away unchanged and feeling the same, Church Our focus in on God.
when our focus is on God Not only will we Seek his Purpose and
Experience his Power and discover his plan but we will begin to see
IV. Saw his Passion
VS.31
So they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved, you and your house..
What is the passion of God?
It’s the lost,
The Greatest miracle of the day was not the earth quake’s or the opened door’s , or the Loosed chain’s.. it was one man turning to God for Salvation....
See: God will allow circumstances’ and situation’s to arise in our life , so someone can get saved.
Example:
Your Boss is a real Jerk, but God Has placed you there . do you think it is just a coincidence?
That Co-Worker - that is unsaved..
and is hurting for a touch from God
Friend - God want’s to use you .
See : The Jailer was not interested in Paul and Silias , all he wanted to know was how to be saved.
See: Church people are not hungry for a fancy sermon , or organizational polish, they just want to know God loves them and will pick them up and dust them off and give them a second chance...
Understand Something this morning , Prayer work’s, and God will answer prayer,
but God will never answer the Prayer that is not offered.....
I’t time , I’t time time to return to Prayer....
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