A PRAYERFUL CHURCH IS A POWERFUL CHURCH
(ACTS 12:1-5) Acts 12:1
Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth [his] hands to vex certain
of the church.
Acts 12:2 And he killed James the
brother of John with the sword.
Acts 12:3 And because he saw it
pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days
of unleavened bread.)
Acts 12:4 And when he had
apprehended him, he put [him] in prison, and delivered [him] to four
quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth
to the people.
Acts 12:5 Peter therefore was kept
in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
Introduction:
a. A powerful
church is a prayerful church, and the Holy Spirit will provide power from
above.
(EPHESIANS 3:14-16) Eph 3:14 For
this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Eph 3:15 Of whom the whole family in
heaven and earth is named,
Eph 3:16 That he would grant you,
according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his
Spirit in the inner man;
I. POWER
BASED ON THE WORKING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE MIDST OF THE CHURCH
(ACTS 1:8) Acts 1:8 But
ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye
shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judæa, and in Samaria,
and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
a. The power of
the Holy Spirit is seen in the spiritual lives of church leaders.
(ACTS 6:5-6) Acts 6:5 And
the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of
faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon,
and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:
Acts 6:6 Whom they set before the
apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid [their] hands on them.
II. POWER
BASED ON THE WORKING OF GOD’S HAND FOR THE SALVATION OF SINNERS IN THE MIDST OF
THE CHURCH
(ACTS 11:20-21) Acts 11:20
And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to
Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus.
Acts 11:21 And the hand of the Lord
was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.
a. God's hand is
seen in many precious souls being saved through the soul-winning ministry of
the church.
III. POWER
BASED ON THE WORKING OF THE CHURCH TO REACH THE LOST AT ANY COST, DESPITE THE
GREAT HINDRANCES EXPERIENCED
(ACTS 5:26-29) Acts 5:26
Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for
they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned.
Acts 5:27 And when they had brought
them, they set [them] before the council: and the high priest asked them,
Acts 5:28 Saying, Did not we
straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye
have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood
upon us.
Acts 5:29 Then Peter and the [other]
apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
a. Our enemy, the
devil, will use unsaved people to try to stop us from winning the lost at any
cost. b. Peter was very courageous, continuing to win souls even when there
were great hindrances to reaching them with the Gospel of Christ.
IV. POWER
BASED ON THE WORKING OF GOD TO BLESS THE CHURCH WITH DYNAMIC GROWTH
(ACTS 6:6-7) Acts 6:6
Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid [their]
hands on them.
Acts 6:7 And the word of God
increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and
a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.
a. God is still
in the business of saving lost people.
(ACTS 2:41) 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.
God bless you
all!
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