Prayer = Power with the Holy Spirit.

When you read through the book of Acts it is very easy to see the work of the Holy Spirit through prayer. It is the same for us, when we pray the Holy Spirit can accomplish great things through us! One of the best example sof this is found here:



Acts 12:5-17



Peter Freed from Prison

5 Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. 6 And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. 7 Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands. 8 Then the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and tie on your sandals”; and so he did. And he said to him, “Put on your garment and follow me.” 9 So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. 10 When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.

11 And when Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.”

12 So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying. 13 And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate. 15 But they said to her, “You are beside yourself!” Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, “It is his angel.”

16 Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. 17 But motioning to them with his hand to keep silent, he declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Go, tell these things to James and to the brethren.” And he departed and went to another place.



The power of prayer is an amazing thing. One thing that catches my attention is verse v.16 where it says they were" astonished"....as followers of the almighty God we should expect great things to happens through the Holy Spirit and believe that God will answer our prayers according to His will!



We must be a people of prayer. It is our direct access to God and it is far under utilized in our faith. Prayers should be second nature to us. A way of life that is normal. In good times, in bad times, in ok times, pray, pray , pray! Let me give you a few principals on praying.



1. Humbly pray.



When you pray recognize who you are praying to....God. God! This is our Creator, make sure you approach Him with reverence! Look how Jesus showed us to pray to God:



Matthew 6:9

9 In this manner, therefore, pray:



Our Father in heaven,

Hallowed be Your name.



A reverence for God...all our prayers should start with a recognition of who God is!



2. Pray without ceasing.



We are a busy people. God's Word is clear we are to be in prayer often. How much do you pray in a day? Week? If you are like me not near enough. When is the last time we turned off the TV and spent and evening in prayer? We must spend some time in fervent prayer. This is a big reason why our prayers don't do much, because it is not a priority in our lives.



1 Thessalonians 5:17

pray without ceasing,



James 5:16

Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.



3. Unity in prayer.



The early church agreed in prayer. Think about the church today....much division. This is not pleasing to God! Let me say this though....do not compromise the truth of God's Word! Look at the promise of Jesus:



Matthew 18:19

19 “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.



4. Pray even when you doubt!



Hey we all have weaknesses in our faith from time to time. Be faithful and obedient even when you have doubts! We seen in the early church they had some doubts about Peter's release but the prayed anyway! We must do the same.



So many times I am like this man talking to Jesus:



Mark 9:23-25

23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”

24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”

25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it: “Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!”



Lord help our unbelief but let us always stay faithful and obedient!



God can do great and mighty things through prayer and the power of the Holy Spirit, may all of us spend much time in prayer!



Tom