1 00:00:07,640 --> 00:00:10,080 Please take a seat up your Bibles to the book of Acts 2 00:00:10,920 --> 00:00:16,000 Chapter 11. We're going to do 11 and 12 3 00:00:16,320 --> 00:00:21,200 through to verse 17 tonight and it's pretty easy because Chapter 4 00:00:21,200 --> 00:00:27,680 11 is pretty much a carbon copy of chapter 10. 5 00:00:29,720 --> 00:00:33,520 After the Holy Spirit fell on the House of Cornelius, Acts 6 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:39,840 chapter 10, Peter has a vision. Remember the animals, unclean 7 00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:42,920 things that aren't kosher are low down as Peter's on Simon the 8 00:00:42,920 --> 00:00:48,000 Tanner's house. Meanwhile, 48 kilometres to the 9 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:53,520 north on the beach Caesarea Romans under a centurion called 10 00:00:53,520 --> 00:00:59,480 Cornelius, Cornelius is visited by an Angel and tells him send 11 00:00:59,480 --> 00:01:01,160 someone. God tells him, send some people 12 00:01:01,160 --> 00:01:05,800 to get Peter, bring Peter up and Peter will have words to tell 13 00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:10,800 you as Peter comes down because he said, no, I'm not going to do 14 00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:12,960 that, Lord, as he views these animals. 15 00:01:13,320 --> 00:01:15,880 So I've never eaten any of those creeping things and crawling 16 00:01:15,880 --> 00:01:18,280 things, none of those things. They're not kosher. 17 00:01:18,920 --> 00:01:22,400 And God says, hey, what I tell you to eat, what I tell you is 18 00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:27,600 clean and it's no longer common. It's clean three times he's told 19 00:01:27,600 --> 00:01:31,160 that as Peter comes down knock on the door. 20 00:01:31,840 --> 00:01:36,480 Cornelius has sent a soldier that serves under him two 21 00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:38,760 servants. You Peter. 22 00:01:38,920 --> 00:01:42,440 Yes, come with us. No, we'll stay overnight. 23 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:46,960 So Gentiles and Hebrews because the church is basically in 24 00:01:46,960 --> 00:01:49,520 Jerusalem being all Hebrew to this point. 25 00:01:50,440 --> 00:01:52,760 Peter knows I got to go with him because God said you got to go 26 00:01:52,760 --> 00:01:56,120 with him goes the 48 kilometres. They finally get there. 27 00:01:56,120 --> 00:02:00,600 The next day they take off. Peter's starts preaching. 28 00:02:00,600 --> 00:02:02,040 He said, why are you? Why are you here? 29 00:02:02,040 --> 00:02:05,000 Well, he's Cornelius because an Angel appeared to me. 30 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:07,520 He said you're going to be on the House and I had to come some 31 00:02:07,520 --> 00:02:09,720 down. And then they connect the two. 32 00:02:10,199 --> 00:02:13,720 What's going on? And so he says, well, what do 33 00:02:13,720 --> 00:02:17,040 you want me to say? Cornelius said, well, God said, 34 00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:19,920 tell us what's what? You'd have the words. 35 00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:23,280 So Peter begins to talk and gives them the gospel of Jesus 36 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:25,360 Christ. He's part way through. 37 00:02:26,280 --> 00:02:28,960 When the Holy Spirit falls upon the Gentiles, they start 38 00:02:28,960 --> 00:02:33,280 speaking in tongues, which means they are praising the Lord. 39 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:36,520 So it's like a Gentile Pentecost. 40 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:39,280 All they hear is praising the Lord. 41 00:02:39,280 --> 00:02:41,720 Peter says, oh man, this is what this is about. 42 00:02:42,200 --> 00:02:43,600 I truly understand what's going on. 43 00:02:43,960 --> 00:02:46,600 You aren't common at all because they've been great racial 44 00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:48,720 prejudice breaking Jew and Gentile. 45 00:02:49,640 --> 00:02:52,520 And So what happened is Peter says there's no reason I can't, 46 00:02:52,680 --> 00:02:55,400 you shouldn't be baptised. So they were baptised. 47 00:02:56,120 --> 00:03:01,680 Now Peter heads back. The news gets to Jerusalem as he 48 00:03:01,680 --> 00:03:04,360 heads back. Troubles waiting. 49 00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:08,760 As always. When God moves, Satan will seek 50 00:03:08,760 --> 00:03:14,160 to torpedo such, and usually it's from a place we normally 51 00:03:14,160 --> 00:03:17,240 don't expect. The problem from within the 52 00:03:17,240 --> 00:03:20,200 church. Peter arrives back in Jerusalem 53 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:23,680 and waiting for him was a great and angry opposition. 54 00:03:23,800 --> 00:03:31,360 Christians, Jews and it says in Acts 11 verse 2, when Peter came 55 00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:35,040 up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision contended with him. 56 00:03:35,040 --> 00:03:38,400 I looked it up contended in the Greek means disputed. 57 00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:42,760 Now when a Jew disputes man, you go to Israel even when they're 58 00:03:42,760 --> 00:03:45,240 just talking about what what shop they're going to go and do 59 00:03:45,240 --> 00:03:50,680 how much coffee is they they go off, you know, and opposed 60 00:03:50,680 --> 00:03:52,440 Peter. That's what that word contended. 61 00:03:53,320 --> 00:03:55,520 So Peter explains in great detail. 62 00:03:55,520 --> 00:03:58,120 He goes through exactly when it while I was on the roof, some of 63 00:03:58,120 --> 00:04:03,920 the Tanners and meanwhile this happened verse 17, he says Peter 64 00:04:03,920 --> 00:04:08,280 lances the argument of going how can you even be in the house 65 00:04:08,280 --> 00:04:12,840 with these Gentiles, Romans as well Italians. 66 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:18,480 Peter explains that God did a work there and he saw the Holy 67 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:21,399 Spirit. He says in Acts 1117. 68 00:04:21,800 --> 00:04:25,680 If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us, what 69 00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:27,840 was the gift, The gift of the Holy Spirit? 70 00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:32,560 When we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I 71 00:04:32,560 --> 00:04:34,080 could withstand God? This is God. 72 00:04:34,280 --> 00:04:39,320 Peter says Acts verse 181118 when they heard these things. 73 00:04:39,320 --> 00:04:43,280 This is how you argue. You can argue opinions and you 74 00:04:43,280 --> 00:04:47,040 can argue you know what you think and what I you know 75 00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:51,160 perception, but the word finishes the argument. 76 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:55,640 When they heard these things, they became silent and they 77 00:04:55,640 --> 00:05:00,160 glorified God saying then God has also granted to the Gentiles 78 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:06,880 repentance to life. So that was a massive race shift 79 00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:14,800 and thinking to the Hebrew church now that God has Gentiles 80 00:05:15,240 --> 00:05:19,320 in the church as well. And it says the verse 24 that 81 00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:25,440 the gospel spread yet again, broke out more souls being saved 82 00:05:25,440 --> 00:05:28,280 and added to the church. And for the first time in verse 83 00:05:28,280 --> 00:05:32,960 25, it says they're there in the book of Acts 11, that the 84 00:05:32,960 --> 00:05:37,760 disciples of Christ were called Christians for the very first 85 00:05:37,760 --> 00:05:42,120 time. But you know, Satan never rests. 86 00:05:42,120 --> 00:05:44,480 And I don't know about you, but he doesn't rest, does he? 87 00:05:46,800 --> 00:05:47,960 You know you can't break. Take a break. 88 00:05:47,960 --> 00:05:51,080 He's just there all the time. You can't have a spell, can you? 89 00:05:51,080 --> 00:05:53,840 One of the things I'm looking forward to going to heaven is 90 00:05:54,400 --> 00:05:59,040 resting from the battle. Even though I know we fight from 91 00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:00,680 victory, we're still in the battle. 92 00:06:03,320 --> 00:06:05,600 He never rests because he's got he wants. 93 00:06:05,720 --> 00:06:08,480 He wants your soul. He wants your marriage. 94 00:06:08,480 --> 00:06:10,040 He wants to destroy your children. 95 00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:14,000 And He's waiting for you every day to confront you. 96 00:06:15,200 --> 00:06:19,600 But so too, thankfully, is our Lord, the Good Shepherd, and He 97 00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:23,200 continues to watch over us, Jesus Christ, and protect us so 98 00:06:23,200 --> 00:06:28,880 that Satan cannot snatch us out of our Father's hand, no matter 99 00:06:28,880 --> 00:06:33,120 how much he tries. John 1028 And I give them 100 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:35,440 eternal life, and they shall never perish. 101 00:06:35,440 --> 00:06:38,640 Note that that's you. You and I will never perish, 102 00:06:39,680 --> 00:06:41,920 neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand. 103 00:06:42,160 --> 00:06:45,320 We're always in His hand. My father who has given them to 104 00:06:45,320 --> 00:06:49,320 me is greater than all and no one is able to snatch them out 105 00:06:49,320 --> 00:06:52,880 of my father's hand. So Satan attacks the church head 106 00:06:52,880 --> 00:06:55,920 on. Now this is big time and and 107 00:06:55,920 --> 00:07:00,880 this is what's going to be kind of like a snapshot of the last 108 00:07:00,880 --> 00:07:05,120 days, very last days. And also during the tribulation 109 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:10,880 period as Herod in Acts chapter 12 when we pick up the story 110 00:07:11,240 --> 00:07:13,800 verse one. Now about that time Herod the 111 00:07:13,800 --> 00:07:19,280 king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church and 112 00:07:19,280 --> 00:07:25,960 he killed James the brother of John with the sword took off his 113 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:31,080 head because he saw that it pleased the Jews. 114 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:36,400 He proceeded further to seize Peter, also arrested Peter. 115 00:07:37,520 --> 00:07:41,960 Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread, so when he had 116 00:07:41,960 --> 00:07:46,680 arrested him, Herod put him in prison, delivered him to 4 117 00:07:46,680 --> 00:07:51,800 squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before 118 00:07:51,800 --> 00:07:54,240 the people after Passover. Why? 119 00:07:54,480 --> 00:07:58,200 To kill him. And Peter's been in gaol before, 120 00:07:59,600 --> 00:08:04,760 but this time, notice there's four squads of soldiers. 121 00:08:05,720 --> 00:08:09,560 This time the battle, the attack from Satan is really horrific. 122 00:08:10,520 --> 00:08:13,560 Have you ever found yourself in a situation where there seems, 123 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:19,120 and I have no practical logical way out, Like where you're 124 00:08:19,120 --> 00:08:22,200 you're in this, you know, it's a spiritual attack and there's 125 00:08:22,200 --> 00:08:26,200 just no practical way out. A place in which you know and 126 00:08:26,200 --> 00:08:30,240 takes the true meaning of what it really is to be actually 127 00:08:30,240 --> 00:08:33,600 helpless? Well, the Bible is full of such 128 00:08:33,600 --> 00:08:37,840 situations. In the gospel of Mark and in 129 00:08:37,840 --> 00:08:41,039 Luke's gospel, remember a fellow called Jairus, his daughter, 12 130 00:08:41,039 --> 00:08:46,720 years old, she's dying. She's ill in a bed on a bed. 131 00:08:47,240 --> 00:08:51,040 He's rushed down Jairus. He's trying to get to Jesus. 132 00:08:51,040 --> 00:08:54,120 Jesus in there's in the middle of the pack of crowd people. 133 00:08:54,240 --> 00:08:57,600 He can't, you know, and there's no, you know, there's, he can't 134 00:08:57,600 --> 00:08:59,560 just burst through. Everyone's wanting to get to 135 00:08:59,560 --> 00:09:03,600 Jesus as well. Then he finally gets the fright 136 00:09:03,600 --> 00:09:07,720 face Jesus, and then he's told by a servant he's come down and 137 00:09:07,720 --> 00:09:09,600 they don't bother with the master because your daughter's 138 00:09:09,600 --> 00:09:15,960 dead. Like devastated, Jesus hears 139 00:09:15,960 --> 00:09:20,400 that. He tells Joris, hey, have faith, 140 00:09:21,760 --> 00:09:25,320 have faith. It's in that same passage that 141 00:09:25,320 --> 00:09:29,800 in that crowd where Joris was trying to get through was a 142 00:09:29,800 --> 00:09:33,920 woman who had been haemorrhaging for 12 years. 143 00:09:33,920 --> 00:09:36,440 You mean losing blood for 12 years? 144 00:09:36,440 --> 00:09:39,440 How weak she would have been, how anaemic she would have been. 145 00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:45,560 She'd spent all her earnings, all that she had on doctors and 146 00:09:45,560 --> 00:09:47,080 cures and none of them are working. 147 00:09:47,680 --> 00:09:51,360 And she is at her last moment and she's trying to get to touch 148 00:09:51,360 --> 00:09:54,760 Jesus. She's just a frail, frail woman. 149 00:09:54,760 --> 00:09:59,360 She's got no chance to get through the crowd tonight. 150 00:10:00,080 --> 00:10:03,720 God wants you and I to learn and know and then experience the 151 00:10:03,760 --> 00:10:09,200 absolute wonder and power on what happens when there is 152 00:10:09,200 --> 00:10:15,240 constant, heartfelt prayer. God wants us this evening to 153 00:10:15,240 --> 00:10:19,760 know that at those most helpless of times, that's when you pray 154 00:10:19,760 --> 00:10:23,280 the best. When storms of dismay have 155 00:10:23,280 --> 00:10:28,400 blackened out the sky, seemingly blocking heaven from us, when 156 00:10:28,400 --> 00:10:32,240 the waves of hurt relentlessly pound, you're in agony. 157 00:10:32,640 --> 00:10:35,480 Wash over. In our lives, our situations, 158 00:10:35,880 --> 00:10:38,400 our loved ones can be turned by prayer. 159 00:10:39,400 --> 00:10:45,720 Prayers that without ceasing can turn a storm quiet a storm and 160 00:10:45,720 --> 00:10:48,400 can reach the very throne of God to get us an answer. 161 00:10:49,680 --> 00:10:54,920 Because it's the powerful, constant prayer that turns a 162 00:10:54,920 --> 00:11:00,160 hopeless situation to one of hope. 2 Corinthians 10 verse 4. 163 00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:05,360 You all know it. The weapons of our warfare are 164 00:11:05,360 --> 00:11:06,960 not carnal. Stop fighting. 165 00:11:07,680 --> 00:11:09,720 Stop fighting your wars yourself. 166 00:11:10,400 --> 00:11:13,440 You lose. Stop. 167 00:11:14,640 --> 00:11:21,560 But they are mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 168 00:11:21,560 --> 00:11:27,560 impossibles, Jericho's giants. James 516. 169 00:11:28,160 --> 00:11:36,400 The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much 170 00:11:37,640 --> 00:11:40,880 Herod. He's one of the several of 171 00:11:40,880 --> 00:11:44,960 Herod's found in the Bible, a wicked dynasty in Palestine. 172 00:11:45,360 --> 00:11:48,360 This one is a grip of the first, his grandfather being Herod the 173 00:11:48,360 --> 00:11:51,760 Great. And so Herod has James, the 174 00:11:51,760 --> 00:11:54,080 brother of John, beheaded by sword. 175 00:11:55,200 --> 00:11:59,320 It's an enormous attack on the church, a massive blow to the 176 00:11:59,320 --> 00:12:01,880 apostles. Why, yes, Stephen has been 177 00:12:01,880 --> 00:12:05,040 killed, but this is one of the apostles. 178 00:12:05,400 --> 00:12:09,560 This is one of the 12, This is one of the 12 that Jesus said. 179 00:12:09,880 --> 00:12:11,400 You guys are going to go into the world. 180 00:12:11,400 --> 00:12:14,440 You're going to turn the world right way around and one's been 181 00:12:14,440 --> 00:12:19,280 killed. Remember back in Mark chapter 10 182 00:12:19,280 --> 00:12:24,120 verse 35, James and John, the sons of Zebedee came to Jesus 183 00:12:24,120 --> 00:12:28,920 said, teacher, we want to you to do for us whatever we ask. 184 00:12:28,920 --> 00:12:31,680 Can you do that? And he said to them, well, what 185 00:12:31,680 --> 00:12:35,080 do you want me to do for you? They said to him, grant us that 186 00:12:35,080 --> 00:12:39,040 we can sit one on right and one on the left when you come into 187 00:12:39,040 --> 00:12:41,840 your Kingdom. Jesus said to them, you don't, 188 00:12:41,840 --> 00:12:42,960 you don't know what you're asking. 189 00:12:43,800 --> 00:12:46,920 Are you able to drink the cup that I drink and be baptised 190 00:12:46,920 --> 00:12:49,160 with the baptism that I'm baptised with? 191 00:12:51,000 --> 00:12:55,720 It was going to cost them. Why did God allow James to be 192 00:12:55,720 --> 00:12:59,040 taken and not Peter? You've been in a hospital ward 193 00:12:59,040 --> 00:13:02,240 in someone's past and they why did God allow this? 194 00:13:06,480 --> 00:13:11,600 Who is to say what a person's length of life is to be? 195 00:13:14,160 --> 00:13:21,280 Therefore we ought to live every day as it indeed may be our very 196 00:13:21,280 --> 00:13:23,200 last, because one day it will be. 197 00:13:24,200 --> 00:13:28,680 Psalm 90 verse 10 says 70 years are given to us, some even live 198 00:13:28,680 --> 00:13:32,320 to 80. But even the best years are 199 00:13:32,320 --> 00:13:36,840 filled with pain and trouble. Soon they disappear and we fly 200 00:13:36,840 --> 00:13:40,840 away. Teach us to realise the brevity, 201 00:13:40,840 --> 00:13:45,520 the frailness of life, so that we may grow in wisdom. 202 00:13:45,520 --> 00:13:48,840 What does that mean? It means don't waste your time 203 00:13:49,160 --> 00:13:52,440 on stuff that is not important. You know what's important? 204 00:13:52,960 --> 00:13:59,160 People, relationships, people, relationships. 205 00:14:01,160 --> 00:14:04,000 We all live to the time God has appointed. 206 00:14:07,040 --> 00:14:10,200 I will die and you will die when God says it's time. 207 00:14:10,960 --> 00:14:15,360 Not until then. For James, it was time to come 208 00:14:15,360 --> 00:14:17,920 home for Stephen. One message, 1 sermon. 209 00:14:18,120 --> 00:14:20,400 Stephen home. Remember, Jesus stood up. 210 00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:22,800 He didn't. He didn't stop the stones. 211 00:14:22,960 --> 00:14:25,720 He welcomed Stephen home. Stephen, you've done everything 212 00:14:25,720 --> 00:14:28,520 I want you to do. Come home because he's going to 213 00:14:28,520 --> 00:14:31,480 impact a fellow called Saul and Saul's going to impact the 214 00:14:31,480 --> 00:14:35,200 world. James was dead. 215 00:14:35,360 --> 00:14:37,960 Stephen was dead. Peter is in prison. 216 00:14:38,240 --> 00:14:41,760 He was next for the executioner. Peter's on death row. 217 00:14:42,240 --> 00:14:43,960 Things are truly crashing around. 218 00:14:43,960 --> 00:14:47,240 The church is really in a, in a, in a in a bind. 219 00:14:47,440 --> 00:14:49,960 And it appears on the church they go, what are we going to 220 00:14:49,960 --> 00:14:51,200 do? James is dead. 221 00:14:51,320 --> 00:14:54,200 Peter's next. You know, the heads have fallen 222 00:14:54,200 --> 00:14:55,800 down. We're we're going to be 223 00:14:55,800 --> 00:15:02,360 rattleless now. Herod knew Peter escaped from 224 00:15:02,360 --> 00:15:04,320 prison before back in Acts chapter 5. 225 00:15:04,320 --> 00:15:06,240 Remember, the guards were still on guard. 226 00:15:06,400 --> 00:15:09,400 They didn't know. They didn't know they weren't in 227 00:15:09,400 --> 00:15:13,600 there. So this time Peter is guarded by 228 00:15:13,600 --> 00:15:17,160 4 squads of four soldiers each. He's not going to escape this 229 00:15:17,160 --> 00:15:19,680 time. Two were chained to him. 230 00:15:20,040 --> 00:15:24,000 Two were standing guard outside. They were each on guard for six 231 00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:26,760 hour shifts. What could the church do? 232 00:15:28,160 --> 00:15:31,560 What would the modern church do? Well, maybe we could boycott all 233 00:15:31,560 --> 00:15:33,760 the goods from Rome. I'm not going to buy anything 234 00:15:33,760 --> 00:15:36,680 from Rome. Maybe they're going to have a 235 00:15:36,680 --> 00:15:39,320 sit down protest in the main market area. 236 00:15:39,320 --> 00:15:41,200 We're just going to sit down there and stop all the traffic. 237 00:15:42,760 --> 00:15:44,320 Maybe they can get up a petition. 238 00:15:44,320 --> 00:15:46,200 Yes, everyone sign a petition, go online. 239 00:15:46,400 --> 00:15:47,840 I started up a petition. Sign it. 240 00:15:47,840 --> 00:15:51,320 Sign it to their local Roman member. 241 00:15:53,640 --> 00:15:56,120 It says in verse 5. But while Peter was in prison, 242 00:15:56,120 --> 00:15:57,920 the church prayed. Notice this. 243 00:15:58,120 --> 00:16:02,960 It says very earnestly for him. That's a new living translation 244 00:16:03,760 --> 00:16:06,160 in the new King James that said Peter was therefore kept in 245 00:16:06,160 --> 00:16:11,480 prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the 246 00:16:11,760 --> 00:16:17,800 church, not just a few. The word fervent means without 247 00:16:17,800 --> 00:16:21,800 ceasing. He was ongoing the church's 248 00:16:21,800 --> 00:16:24,040 secret weapon. What is it? 249 00:16:24,600 --> 00:16:28,160 What was it? The door to the throne of God 250 00:16:28,160 --> 00:16:32,520 was open through prayer. Sadly, often we're in such 251 00:16:32,520 --> 00:16:34,840 situations of hopelessness ourselves. 252 00:16:35,160 --> 00:16:39,920 We only do this these days when we have exhausted every other 253 00:16:39,920 --> 00:16:40,880 option. Have you heard someone? 254 00:16:41,160 --> 00:16:42,760 Well, I guess we just have to pray. 255 00:16:44,360 --> 00:16:45,680 I guess we just have to trust the prayer. 256 00:16:45,680 --> 00:16:47,680 You kind of go, oh, God bless it, really. 257 00:16:47,880 --> 00:16:49,480 It's kind of like the kid coming into you. 258 00:16:50,560 --> 00:16:52,440 You go and they tell you this great problem. 259 00:16:52,960 --> 00:16:56,080 Well, I guess you know, just we'll help you out. 260 00:16:56,360 --> 00:16:59,880 I guess it's just, we'll see what mum and dad, if they can 261 00:16:59,880 --> 00:17:01,800 help. It's kind of like, oh really, 262 00:17:01,960 --> 00:17:05,319 really good. How does God feel when we go? 263 00:17:06,000 --> 00:17:09,119 No, I guess we just have to pray, you know, try everything 264 00:17:09,119 --> 00:17:11,680 else. It's the last resort. 265 00:17:12,599 --> 00:17:18,000 In our text, it was the first thing the church did. 266 00:17:18,640 --> 00:17:24,359 Again, listen carefully and I'm going to say this, the devil 267 00:17:24,800 --> 00:17:32,120 does not want you to pray. Simple, the devil does not want 268 00:17:32,160 --> 00:17:38,320 you to pray because you become God's powerful weapon. 269 00:17:39,800 --> 00:17:42,760 When you take the position of prayer, people often say, what's 270 00:17:42,760 --> 00:17:44,680 your position on this? What's your position on that? 271 00:17:46,240 --> 00:17:51,640 Our position is on our knees. The prayer that has power is the 272 00:17:51,640 --> 00:17:54,880 one that's offered to God. Well, but Keith, I'm confused. 273 00:17:55,480 --> 00:17:59,280 All prayers offered to God. No, I do not believe it because 274 00:17:59,280 --> 00:18:03,400 I can rattle off a set of words without a thought of God. 275 00:18:04,040 --> 00:18:07,800 It says James, an effectual fervent prayer. 276 00:18:10,160 --> 00:18:11,880 Jesus gave us a model prayer, didn't he? 277 00:18:11,880 --> 00:18:15,480 A pattern, not so much the prayer, but we still pray. 278 00:18:15,480 --> 00:18:18,200 And our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be thy name. 279 00:18:18,680 --> 00:18:21,400 But more so how we should learn to pray. 280 00:18:21,640 --> 00:18:24,680 Jesus said pray in this manner. That's what he said. 281 00:18:26,080 --> 00:18:28,200 How did this pat and this model come to be? 282 00:18:28,640 --> 00:18:33,520 The disciples saw Jesus knew Jesus, how much Jesus spent time 283 00:18:33,520 --> 00:18:36,640 and prayer constant, how much he prayed. 284 00:18:36,760 --> 00:18:40,120 He prayed all the time. If Jesus wasn't with him, where 285 00:18:40,120 --> 00:18:41,000 was he? He was praying. 286 00:18:41,920 --> 00:18:46,120 So they asked Jesus teach us how to pray like you pray and This 287 00:18:46,120 --> 00:18:50,600 is why Jesus said after this manner, therefore pray you. 288 00:18:51,040 --> 00:18:54,440 Matthew 69. Notice the structure of the 289 00:18:54,440 --> 00:18:57,720 prayer. But today we've changed the 290 00:18:57,720 --> 00:19:00,280 Lord's Prayer. We've adapted it. 291 00:19:01,040 --> 00:19:03,800 We get straight to our needs. Oh Lord, here I am. 292 00:19:04,040 --> 00:19:08,320 We need this. I need you to do this, Don't we? 293 00:19:10,040 --> 00:19:15,560 Before we say a word to God, think about him as your father. 294 00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:21,600 Father, your name is holy. Come in with respect and or 295 00:19:21,600 --> 00:19:25,000 worship. Father, your name is to be 296 00:19:25,000 --> 00:19:29,200 honoured, how great you are. Father, your name is to be 297 00:19:29,200 --> 00:19:30,880 revealed. How wonderful you are. 298 00:19:31,440 --> 00:19:36,120 Haven't asked for anything yet. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be 299 00:19:36,120 --> 00:19:40,840 done before we get to our needs. That's what the prayer model 300 00:19:40,840 --> 00:19:43,920 teaches us. Before we get to our needs. 301 00:19:45,840 --> 00:19:50,880 Just what is God's will for this situation, the situation we find 302 00:19:50,880 --> 00:19:54,560 ourselves in, you ask? You know that there are times, 303 00:19:54,560 --> 00:19:57,720 some things that you do not have to pray about. 304 00:19:58,280 --> 00:20:01,680 I'm baffled when people come for prayer sometimes and they say 305 00:20:01,840 --> 00:20:04,480 pray about this and I'm going, we don't need to pray about that 306 00:20:05,600 --> 00:20:07,440 example. Well, I'm thinking of robbing a 307 00:20:07,440 --> 00:20:10,880 bank. Don't worry, if it's a big hit 308 00:20:10,880 --> 00:20:13,880 and it goes well, I'll tithe to the church. 309 00:20:14,600 --> 00:20:18,080 Would you pray for me concerning that this little operation goes 310 00:20:18,080 --> 00:20:20,520 well? I'm thinking about marrying 311 00:20:20,520 --> 00:20:22,240 someone who does not know Christ. 312 00:20:23,120 --> 00:20:26,640 That happens a fair bit today, and I ask that you would pray 313 00:20:26,640 --> 00:20:30,640 for me. What should I do when we know 314 00:20:30,640 --> 00:20:34,360 what the Bible says? But let me qualify that. 315 00:20:35,920 --> 00:20:38,840 I want you to, before you think, consider marriage. 316 00:20:38,840 --> 00:20:45,480 I want you to witness to that person that you're with, lead 317 00:20:45,480 --> 00:20:50,560 them to Christ. Be upfront about your faith, how 318 00:20:50,560 --> 00:20:53,600 your relationship with God is the most important thing in your 319 00:20:53,600 --> 00:20:58,960 life and God is the one that that guides you and directs you 320 00:20:58,960 --> 00:21:02,520 with your decisions. Pray that the person you 321 00:21:02,520 --> 00:21:07,480 minister to will truly love you and the very God you serve as 322 00:21:07,480 --> 00:21:11,760 well. That's that's that's the way and 323 00:21:11,760 --> 00:21:16,040 desire to be part of your devotion to God as well. 324 00:21:16,280 --> 00:21:21,400 Ladies are being taught Tuesdays by Helen on the book of Ruth, 325 00:21:22,320 --> 00:21:24,040 because that's what Ruth did with Naomi. 326 00:21:25,120 --> 00:21:29,480 Ruth 116 But Ruth said, entreat me not to leave you or to turn 327 00:21:29,480 --> 00:21:32,400 back from following after you. For wherever you go, I'll go. 328 00:21:33,280 --> 00:21:36,400 Wherever you lodge, I'll lodge. Your people shall be my people. 329 00:21:36,480 --> 00:21:39,360 Your God shall be my God. If that person loves you, I'll 330 00:21:39,560 --> 00:21:41,000 go. I want Jesus Christ. 331 00:21:41,120 --> 00:21:43,480 If you love Jesus Christ, I want what you love. 332 00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:46,960 If not, stop. Simple as that. 333 00:21:48,600 --> 00:21:51,240 We've been praying about living together before marriage. 334 00:21:53,040 --> 00:21:55,480 You don't pray about that. You don't do it. 335 00:21:56,240 --> 00:21:57,960 You don't have to pray. Well, I'm praying. 336 00:21:58,360 --> 00:22:01,440 No, you don't pray about that. Would you pray for us on this 337 00:22:01,440 --> 00:22:02,680 decision? No, I won't. 338 00:22:02,840 --> 00:22:05,720 Just do what the Bible says. Don't need me to pray about 339 00:22:05,720 --> 00:22:07,400 that. You don't need to pray about it. 340 00:22:07,520 --> 00:22:09,880 You need to obey what? What the Bible says on the 341 00:22:09,880 --> 00:22:13,240 matter. But there are many things we can 342 00:22:13,240 --> 00:22:17,400 and need to pray about and fall. We can pray for wisdom, and I 343 00:22:17,400 --> 00:22:19,360 need that, especially as I'm getting older. 344 00:22:19,600 --> 00:22:25,680 I just want to know why I came into this room for I'm here for 345 00:22:25,680 --> 00:22:29,080 something. Maybe if we go back out of this 346 00:22:29,080 --> 00:22:33,960 room and come back in again, God will tell me why I went in there 347 00:22:33,960 --> 00:22:37,680 in the first place. James on five, if any of you 348 00:22:37,680 --> 00:22:40,960 lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally 349 00:22:40,960 --> 00:22:42,800 and without reproach, and will be given to him. 350 00:22:43,040 --> 00:22:44,760 Don't make a decision on your own. 351 00:22:45,760 --> 00:22:47,480 I learnt that. You know how to learn it by 352 00:22:47,480 --> 00:22:50,680 making lots and lots of bad decisions. 353 00:22:53,000 --> 00:22:56,600 We can pray for our needs, and we're going to be doing that. 354 00:22:57,040 --> 00:23:01,280 The war in the Middle East, everyone's going up coast. 355 00:23:01,320 --> 00:23:04,520 Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. The bananas now are for $15 a 356 00:23:04,520 --> 00:23:06,120 pound. It's just all of a sudden 357 00:23:06,120 --> 00:23:09,160 changed overnight because of what Iran's doing. 358 00:23:09,360 --> 00:23:16,600 Bananas, tomatoes, Philippians 419 My God shall supply all your 359 00:23:16,600 --> 00:23:20,080 needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. 360 00:23:20,320 --> 00:23:23,520 We can pray for the protection. Psalm 91.1. 361 00:23:23,920 --> 00:23:30,200 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall 362 00:23:30,200 --> 00:23:32,400 abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 363 00:23:33,680 --> 00:23:39,880 The key to prayer is getting our will in line with God's will. 364 00:23:40,280 --> 00:23:43,280 You know that's why you pray. If you are a Bible reader and a 365 00:23:43,280 --> 00:23:47,520 prayer, then what happens is your will ended up being 366 00:23:47,520 --> 00:23:51,960 dissipated when? John 514 Now this is the 367 00:23:51,960 --> 00:23:55,800 confidence that we have in him, that if we ask anything 368 00:23:56,120 --> 00:23:59,880 according to His will, guess what, He hears us. 369 00:24:00,200 --> 00:24:03,240 So I read the Bible, I see this is what God's will is for his 370 00:24:03,240 --> 00:24:04,880 people. I go, God, your word says this, 371 00:24:05,120 --> 00:24:12,000 Hey, come on, please. God only answers the requests He 372 00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:17,040 inspires. How do you know God's will then 373 00:24:17,040 --> 00:24:22,480 when you ask by reading His word, by reading His word. 374 00:24:22,480 --> 00:24:25,240 Because if you were just to go through your Bible and underline 375 00:24:25,240 --> 00:24:28,040 everywhere, it says God's will, God's will, God for you, God's 376 00:24:28,040 --> 00:24:30,720 will, you got enough to do. You don't have to worry about 377 00:24:30,720 --> 00:24:36,040 anything else. Pray that a prayer that is 378 00:24:37,240 --> 00:24:39,840 powerful is offered without ceasing. 379 00:24:39,960 --> 00:24:42,560 Paul says pray without what ceasing? 380 00:24:44,120 --> 00:24:46,040 Verse 5. Peter was therefore kept in 381 00:24:46,040 --> 00:24:48,960 prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the 382 00:24:48,960 --> 00:24:52,000 church. It means regularly praying. 383 00:24:52,160 --> 00:24:55,440 It means praying earnestly. It means praying with agony. 384 00:24:56,000 --> 00:24:58,480 It means to be reaching out, stretching to the Lord. 385 00:24:58,480 --> 00:25:03,240 Oh, God mean really praying. It means really applying 386 00:25:03,240 --> 00:25:05,680 yourself to your prayers with all your heart. 387 00:25:07,360 --> 00:25:08,920 Would you answer this prayer, God? 388 00:25:10,360 --> 00:25:16,200 Deuteronomy 429 But if from hence thence you shall ask the 389 00:25:16,200 --> 00:25:19,880 Lord your God, you shall find him, or seek the Lord your God. 390 00:25:19,880 --> 00:25:23,640 You shall find him if you seek him with all your heart and with 391 00:25:23,640 --> 00:25:29,040 all your soul. It is this praying for that 392 00:25:29,040 --> 00:25:32,160 loved one. God says keep on praying because 393 00:25:32,160 --> 00:25:35,000 the Bible says He's willing. Who should perish? 394 00:25:35,120 --> 00:25:36,960 None. That all should come to 395 00:25:36,960 --> 00:25:40,040 repentance. So we say, God, your word says 396 00:25:40,040 --> 00:25:48,040 this, I'm praying this. The timing of God's answer is in 397 00:25:48,040 --> 00:25:52,120 the Lord's hands, but the praying is in your hands. 398 00:25:52,840 --> 00:25:57,360 The timing is in God's hands to answer it, but the praying is in 399 00:25:57,360 --> 00:26:02,120 your hands to pray. Thirdly, prayer that is powerful 400 00:26:02,120 --> 00:26:05,680 is united prayer. They prayed together for Peter's 401 00:26:05,680 --> 00:26:09,640 life. Two or more gathered agree and 402 00:26:09,640 --> 00:26:11,200 gather together. What happens? 403 00:26:11,520 --> 00:26:14,480 Jesus says you're there, you are on the midst of them, and He'll, 404 00:26:14,880 --> 00:26:17,720 He'll answer that. Look at the foundation of the 405 00:26:17,720 --> 00:26:21,120 powerful early church. Jesus ascends into heaven. 406 00:26:21,400 --> 00:26:24,200 What do we read of the church doing together? 407 00:26:24,920 --> 00:26:27,520 Well, they went and had a fight at a jumble sale. 408 00:26:28,040 --> 00:26:32,000 Then they went on a this, they did that and they had a harmony 409 00:26:32,000 --> 00:26:35,200 time together and they went bowling together and play golf 410 00:26:35,200 --> 00:26:40,120 together and surfing together. No Acts 112 And they returned to 411 00:26:40,120 --> 00:26:43,320 Jerusalem from the Mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, 412 00:26:43,320 --> 00:26:45,840 a Sabbath day journey. When they had ended they went up 413 00:26:45,840 --> 00:26:47,520 into the upper room where they were staying. 414 00:26:47,720 --> 00:26:50,360 Peter, James, John, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholium, 415 00:26:50,360 --> 00:26:55,560 Matthew, James and all those these all continued with 1 416 00:26:55,560 --> 00:27:03,960 accord in snooker, prayer and supplication with the women and 417 00:27:03,960 --> 00:27:06,800 Mary the mother of Jesus and his brothers. 418 00:27:07,800 --> 00:27:10,200 When Peter and John were threatened with death back in 419 00:27:10,200 --> 00:27:15,200 Acts chapter 4, the church when they heard that they raised 420 00:27:15,200 --> 00:27:21,960 their voice to God with 1 accord and said Lord your God who made 421 00:27:21,960 --> 00:27:25,520 heaven and earth, the sea and all is in them, they prayed. 422 00:27:26,160 --> 00:27:30,320 But listen also it did not require as you read through the 423 00:27:30,320 --> 00:27:32,680 book of Acts a critical incident. 424 00:27:32,840 --> 00:27:35,600 Neither should it just require. I only pray when things go 425 00:27:35,600 --> 00:27:38,040 wrong. A critical incident in my life 426 00:27:38,080 --> 00:27:41,360 of for this church over the early church to gather together 427 00:27:41,360 --> 00:27:47,480 to pray for what do we find the church doing? 428 00:27:47,480 --> 00:27:51,560 Acts 424 So when they heard that they raised their voice to God 429 00:27:51,560 --> 00:27:53,920 with 1 accord and said, Lord, you are God who made heaven and 430 00:27:53,920 --> 00:27:55,640 earth and the sea and all that is in them. 431 00:27:56,720 --> 00:27:59,240 And it says in Acts chapter 2 verse 42. 432 00:27:59,240 --> 00:28:02,720 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine, Word 433 00:28:02,720 --> 00:28:07,280 of God and fellowship, the breaking of bread. 434 00:28:07,720 --> 00:28:14,160 Oh, and in prayers. It's what made a church finally. 435 00:28:14,840 --> 00:28:17,480 Prayer is one that is prayer that doesn't doubt. 436 00:28:19,080 --> 00:28:20,840 Now the early church were no super Saints. 437 00:28:20,840 --> 00:28:24,480 We had this idea that these people were, you know, they'll 438 00:28:24,480 --> 00:28:27,760 add gowns and walk around. They're just ordinary people 439 00:28:27,760 --> 00:28:32,800 like you and I just ordinary. That's where we we miss it 440 00:28:35,520 --> 00:28:38,800 because got to answer prayer because you know what happened? 441 00:28:39,480 --> 00:28:42,520 An Angel came. Peter's asleep, kicks him on the 442 00:28:42,520 --> 00:28:44,280 side. Peter wake up, wake up. 443 00:28:44,560 --> 00:28:46,560 Chains come off. Peter goes out. 444 00:28:47,120 --> 00:28:49,640 Guards are all they're in La La land. 445 00:28:49,840 --> 00:28:52,440 Peter goes down to Mark's house, knocks on the door. 446 00:28:52,560 --> 00:28:57,760 The prayer meeting is going. Lady comes to the door wants to 447 00:28:57,760 --> 00:28:59,520 know who it is. It's me. 448 00:28:59,520 --> 00:29:04,720 It's Peter, goes back, knocks on the door again and goes back, 449 00:29:05,600 --> 00:29:07,480 tells them that Peter's at the door. 450 00:29:08,080 --> 00:29:09,880 Peter said, yeah, you're quiet. Just. 451 00:29:10,000 --> 00:29:12,560 Yeah, Lord, just release Peter. Calm man. 452 00:29:13,120 --> 00:29:15,000 Peter's going. What's going on? 453 00:29:16,440 --> 00:29:21,200 What does it tell you? They're ordinary people like us. 454 00:29:25,400 --> 00:29:31,560 You see the early church had doubts that they still prayed 455 00:29:31,680 --> 00:29:35,640 and got answered. They are in shock. 456 00:29:36,480 --> 00:29:39,640 It's really you. Isn't that what happens? 457 00:29:39,640 --> 00:29:42,440 You know, you pray and you're really got to answer that for 458 00:29:42,600 --> 00:29:45,480 wow, God should go slap, slap, slap, slap. 459 00:29:47,080 --> 00:29:49,880 What do you expect? You prayed, I answered, that's 460 00:29:49,880 --> 00:29:56,000 what you should expect. When the woman was healed of the 461 00:29:56,000 --> 00:30:04,800 bleeding, it was her faith. When Roman centurion Luke 7 came 462 00:30:04,800 --> 00:30:09,200 to Jesus, as he said, oh man, just you don't have to come to 463 00:30:09,200 --> 00:30:11,760 my house, just say the words and my slave will be healed. 464 00:30:13,320 --> 00:30:15,760 And Jesus said, oh, man, I haven't seen so great a faith in 465 00:30:15,760 --> 00:30:17,960 all Israel as this was a Roman centurion. 466 00:30:18,680 --> 00:30:23,200 But when you go back to the story of Lazarus being raised 467 00:30:23,200 --> 00:30:27,680 from the dead, did Martha have faith she was devastated? 468 00:30:30,080 --> 00:30:33,440 Did Lazarus have faith he's dead? 469 00:30:35,920 --> 00:30:41,360 It was the faith of Christ at that moment but if we are, if 470 00:30:41,360 --> 00:30:43,240 we're all the stone back, he's going to smell. 471 00:30:43,240 --> 00:30:49,480 Roll the stone back. You see, faith is utilised but 472 00:30:49,480 --> 00:30:51,920 it can be in any one of these areas. 473 00:30:52,240 --> 00:30:54,440 How much faith did this prayer group have? 474 00:30:55,000 --> 00:30:56,720 Ones that were praying in Mark's house. 475 00:30:56,960 --> 00:30:59,920 Imagine the night when he realised this. 476 00:30:59,920 --> 00:31:04,640 He goes to the home of of of John Mark and he's knocked at 477 00:31:04,640 --> 00:31:07,640 the door. Rhoda comes, opens. 478 00:31:07,880 --> 00:31:13,160 She recognises Peter's voice slams, slams, slams doesn't open 479 00:31:13,160 --> 00:31:17,600 the door runs back and say everybody, Peter's here and they 480 00:31:17,680 --> 00:31:20,760 go verse 15 and you're living. You're out of your mind. 481 00:31:20,960 --> 00:31:23,360 Quiet. We we we're trying to pray here. 482 00:31:24,240 --> 00:31:26,440 It must be his Angel. So they come up with other 483 00:31:26,440 --> 00:31:28,640 reasons. Meanwhile, Peter continued 484 00:31:28,640 --> 00:31:31,000 knocking. When they finally opened the 485 00:31:31,000 --> 00:31:33,840 door and saw him, they were amazed. 486 00:31:35,360 --> 00:31:37,800 You see, as I read this, you know why it's there. 487 00:31:38,160 --> 00:31:42,640 There's hope for me too, because they were people just like you 488 00:31:42,640 --> 00:31:44,880 and I. When they open the door, they 489 00:31:44,880 --> 00:31:48,280 were astonished. Maybe you tonight find yourself 490 00:31:48,280 --> 00:31:52,680 in a hopeless situation. When Jesus came to Mary and 491 00:31:52,680 --> 00:31:55,760 Martha at the tomb of Lazarus, do you remember the words that 492 00:31:55,760 --> 00:31:58,520 he shared to a distraught, grief stricken Martha? 493 00:31:59,440 --> 00:32:01,280 This situation was utterly hopeless. 494 00:32:01,720 --> 00:32:08,560 Lazarus has been dead 4 days. Beyond that, the brother Jesus 495 00:32:08,560 --> 00:32:09,800 loved him. Why haven't he come? 496 00:32:10,240 --> 00:32:16,680 Jesus said to her what I am the resurrection and the life anyone 497 00:32:16,680 --> 00:32:20,200 who believes in me will live even after dying. 498 00:32:21,120 --> 00:32:24,960 Everyone who lives in me who believes in me will never die. 499 00:32:25,840 --> 00:32:31,040 Do you believe this Martha Jairus situation was hopeless? 500 00:32:31,920 --> 00:32:35,720 Jesus said don't be afraid when the servant said your daughter's 501 00:32:35,720 --> 00:32:39,360 dead, don't bother the master. Jesus said don't be afraid 502 00:32:39,360 --> 00:32:44,160 Jairus, just have faith she'll be healed. 503 00:32:45,120 --> 00:32:49,240 An Angel fetched Peter, but it was prayer that fetched the 504 00:32:49,280 --> 00:32:55,000 Angel. It was prayer when Daniel was 505 00:32:55,000 --> 00:33:00,360 praying 21 days. It was a great battle. 506 00:33:00,600 --> 00:33:04,720 When was the Angel sent? It was Daniel's prayer that 507 00:33:04,720 --> 00:33:07,200 heard God. I've heard to pray Daniel, I'm 508 00:33:07,200 --> 00:33:11,360 sending an Angel 21 days. But Daniel prayed. 509 00:33:11,520 --> 00:33:17,080 Your prayers have an effect. They go directly to God and he 510 00:33:17,080 --> 00:33:19,480 sends these angels to do the work. 511 00:33:20,920 --> 00:33:27,160 So he calls you tonight to pray what's here as we gather, like 512 00:33:27,160 --> 00:33:31,960 tonight, when the power of God is released and the miraculous 513 00:33:31,960 --> 00:33:34,480 occurs, we have to pray for one another. 514 00:33:35,520 --> 00:33:40,160 Remember, the devil doesn't want you to pray because why? 515 00:33:40,480 --> 00:33:45,160 It's the key to the release of our loved ones like Peter who 516 00:33:45,160 --> 00:33:51,520 were chained, chained to sin, chained by the devil, and God 517 00:33:51,600 --> 00:33:55,760 wants them free. Jesus said I've come to set them 518 00:33:56,160 --> 00:34:00,520 free. Luke 418, open the prison doors. 519 00:34:02,640 --> 00:34:04,320 Don't stop. That's why you're here. 520 00:34:05,480 --> 00:34:08,800 Let's pray. Father, guide us now as we pray. 521 00:34:09,840 --> 00:34:12,199 Lead us by the power of your Holy Spirit. 522 00:34:12,639 --> 00:34:16,800 Let us know as we utter your prayers and your will that you 523 00:34:16,800 --> 00:34:20,600 immediately hear. You immediately sit in action to 524 00:34:20,639 --> 00:34:24,520 answer our prayers. Answer our prayers tonight. 525 00:34:24,520 --> 00:34:28,440 Lord, we pray and ask in Jesus holy name, Amen. 526 00:34:28,520 --> 00:34:28,880 Amen.