ACTS OF CHANGING THE WORLD THROUGH
PRAYER
Good
morning to each and everyone. I want to share a true story with you. In
2011 I enrolled in the TTC courses here at the Valley. I was doing well
as I had quit a job but had another lined up and still had my part time
job. I had a stable place to live and my car was in good condition. I
was involved in the church and my friends were many. Approximately two
months later I was unemployed. That was fine up until I found out I was
not eligible for benefits for 4 months for I had to serve a repayment
penalty. My stable housing condition became unstable and I stayed in a
house with no heat or water because I had no place to go. My car even
went out on me. All I had was a link card to actually survive. I did not
have and active prayer life but you can assured once that happened I
got got down on my hands and knees and asked God perform Acts of
Changing My World Through Prayer.
Yes
I was familiar with the prayer of Jonah as he was swallowed up in the
belly of a great fish ( Jonah Chapter 2). Yes I knew all about David
praying to God in thanksgiving ( 2nd Samuel 7:18-29 ). I had read about
how Jesus prayed alone ( Mark 1:35 ) before he started his journey. I
had a praying Mama, Grandma, and aunts. I had a praying Dad, uncles and
member of the church. When they asked did someone need prayer in the
church my hand was the first to go up. But I did not have active prayer
life for myself much less others. I would not even pray for my Mother.
So when I hit rock bottom I knew the way to get out of this position was
Acts of Prayer Changing My World. I want use the next three short
paragraphs to look in the Word of God to see how it worked back then.
In Acts 10:1-8 it tells of Cornelius who is Italian heritage but is a
man who feared God, a devout man and gave alms ( money, food or other
donations given to the poor or needy ). God has heard the prayers of
Cornelius and has sent an angel to help him see his prayers have been
answered. Many people of faith would look at Cornelius strange because
he was not of the same race, same heritage or spoke differently than us.
His prayers were not supposed to be even heard because he was not
Jewish. But that shows you that if a person who was not even knowing if
he would be part of the promise prayers were answered how can we not
have active prayer life. Cornelius is an example what the Acts of
Changing the World Through Prayer is all about.
In
the next example I stay in the same chapter, Acts 10, but look at
verses 9-16. Peter goes to the very top of his house and prayed. He
probably prayed there as he would be closer to God. But while praying
God sent him a vision of what he was supposed to do. See Peter never ate
anything else but then food that the people of Jewish descent were
allowed to eat. God told him to rise and up and eat. In verse 15 a voice
tells him that once God cleans something it is not ever common. As
people of faith when we pray we have to listen for what God wants us to
do. A prayer life gives you answer that at times means to step out of
you comfort zone of your family, your job or your ministry. Cornelius
prayers activated Peter's prayer and put into motion an Act of Changing
the World Through Prayer.
In
the last example of Acts of Changing the World Through Prayer I stay in
the same chapter, Acts 10, but continue to verses 44-48. The prayers
of Cornelius and Peter were both heard and when they came together the
Acts of Prayer changed that whole region as the Gentiles were now heirs
to the promises of God and received the power of the Holy Spirit. If God
can do that for two devout men who believed in him, imagine how your
prayers can change areas such as education, arts and entertainment,
family, media, business, government and religion. Through Acts of Prayer
changing the world can and will happen.
In
conclusion prayer can change things in so many ways. We can look at a
personal prayer such as in Isaiah 38:1-2. In Matthew 18:19-20 Jesus
tells of when we come together as two or three in his name. And in 2nd Corinthians 7:14 it
tells of how corporate prayer changes things. Prayer can allow the
education system to let prayer back in schools. Prayer can allow your
dreams of making a movie or your television show a reality. Prayer
allows you to see changes in the way you view your family members who
are not saved yet. Prayer will start that social media site that will
one day be bigger than Facebook and Twitter combined. Prayer will allow
that business that cannot seem to get off the ground and turn into a
multimillion dollar business. Prayer will allow us to stay strong and
not have the government change the laws on same sex marriage or any
other laws that affect God's Word. Prayer can open up the eyes, ears and
hearts of those who are religion are holding the spreading of the
gospel in holding pattern. Open you eyes and you can see the Acts of
Prayer. Listen closely and you can see the Acts of Prayer. Reach out
your hands and you can touch the Acts of Prayer. Acts of Prayer Changed
the World for me. I know it can for you. I give God all the glory and
honor for this teaching. Amen.
