Think Spot 3 April 2014

 

Monday Think Spot 3 March  2014

Stone Walls Give Way

Good morning! Welcome to Partakers Think Spot. Thank you for joining us. I am Regina from South Carolina in the United States. Let's talk this morning about stone walls giving way. We are going to read Acts 12:5 "But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him."

When we pray consistently we will receive an entrance into God's will of which we would otherwise know nothing. We will receive blessing above all we ask or think. The teaching and power of the Holy Spirit are unalterably linked to prayer. The power that the Church's prayer has is shown not only as the apostles pray but also as the Christian community does.


In Acts 12 Peter is in prison awaiting execution. The death of James had aroused the Church to a sense of great danger; the thought of losing Peter, too, wakened all their energies. They went to prayer. Prayer was effective; Peter was delivered. When he came to the house of Mary he found "many were gathered for prayer" (Acts 12:12). Double chains, soldiers, and the iron gate - all gave way before the power from heaven that prayer brought to his rescue. The power of the Roman Empire was nothing in the presence of the power that the Church wielded in prayer. Those Christians stood in close and living relationship with their Lord. They knew well that the words, "I have been given complete authority" and "And be sure of this, I am with you always" were absolutely true. They had faith in His promise to hear them whatever they asked. They prayed in the assurance that the powers of heaven bot only could work on earth but that would work at the Church's request on its behalf.


The same is true today. Just as the church, the community, prayed for Peter that day, and he was released from prison miraculously by God, we, too, can see those miracles. God's word says that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He doesn't change. So, we can come together for communal prayer, or we can pray alone at home, either way as long as we're in prayer we're communicating with God. When we're seeking His will, He will let us know what that will is. He will lead us in that will. And we can see Him at work. We can see Him at work in many lives.


My father in law's life is one of those that we have recently seen. He recently had open heart surgery, had an aortic valve replacement done, a triple by-pass, and had a stroke while he was having surgery. So he can no longer live alone. He had someone staying with him that we just weren't sure about and we wanted to talk to my father in law about it but we did not want to offend him or make him feel that he couldn't make decisions when, obviously, he can. So, I went to prayer. I prayed. I have a prayer group that I am with that I asked to pray, and we all sought God's will. I never had to open my mouth to my father in law concerning this because God took care of it. God had someone else that was helping my father in law speak to him about getting a power of attorney, which brought him protections. My father in law heeded their advice. He did set up a power of attorney which protects him from some dangers that we were concerned about. God answered that prayer, those prayers, my prayer, the prayer of the group that I had praying. And he'll do the same for you if we just seek His will and come to Him with a pure heart, a heart for His will to be done. He will answer those prayers.

I just want to close now. I thank you for being with us here on Partakers and I hope that you will come back every day for a word of encouragement. I pray that you have a blessed week. Let's close in prayer: Father, I thank you for each listener this morning. I ask you to pour down a double blessing upon each of them, Father. Allow them to see your will at work. Encourage them through their prayer and communication with you, Lord. Thank you. Thank you for each one because I truly believe that each one that is listening this morning is here by divine appointment, by your will for this message, Father. I just ask you to hold them close, protect them, heal their bodies of sickness, heal their finances that may be lacking, and provide them with every need that they may have. In Jesus name I pray and ask these things. I thank you for the blessings that you have already provided, I thank you for the blessings yet to come. Amen.

Thank you for joining us here on Partakers Think Spot. Come back every day for a bit of helpful encouragement to get you throughout your week.

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