Necessity of Prayer - Praying and Prayer
Text: Acts 4:23-31
Prayer is Talking to God
Worship: To Talk to God about Who He is
Giving Thanks: To talk to God about what He has done
Confession: To talk to God about what we have done
Asking: To talk to God about what we desire from Him
Prayer - An Expression of Worship Acts 4:24-28
Acknowledging His sovereign power in creation (24)
Acknowledging the Spirit’s prophetic empowerment (25-26)
Acknowledging His sovereign power over events (27-28)
Footnotes:
1. “And when they heard this, they raised their voices to God with one mind and said, “Lord, it is You who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything that is in them” 2. “who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David Your servant, said, ‘Why were the nations insolent, and the peoples
plotting in vain? The kings of the earth took their stand, and the
rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against His Christ.’
3. “For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever Your hand and purpose predestined to occur”.
Prayer - As an Expression of Need Acts 4:29
Acknowledging the present circumstances (29a)
Expressing our desire for God’s intervention (29b)
Footnote:
“And now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant it to Your bond- servants to speak Your word with all confidence”
Prayer - As ann Expression of Gratitude Acts 4:30
Acknowledge God’s gracious activity in your present circumstances
Footnote: “while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.”
An Answer to Prayer Acts 4:31
God hears and answers according to His grace.
He knows what He has planned.
He knows what is best.
We can trust that He will answer according to His will.
Footnote: “And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.
WHAT DOES GOD DESIRE FOR US?
That we would DESIRE IN AND FOR OURSELVES
All the things that HE ALREADY DESIRES FOR US.
Footnotes:
His desire for us:
A greater and deeper faith
A genuine heart of worship
A sensitivity to the power of His presence
A higher level of holiness and obedience
A sincere love for one another
A boldness to share the Good News of the Kingdom with others
A true sense of genuine unity among us