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Series: General
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Additional file: 2014-11-02 Prayer Life for Disciples - Alan Yeater.pdf


S. R. Ephesians 3:14-21

Introduction

  1. In our effort to learn to pray like the master, let us note how first century Disciples of Christ focused on God in their prayers.
    1. When did they feel the need to pray?
    2. For what did those early disciples pray?

Outline

  1. Occasions of Prayer in Acts
    1. Help in making decisions – selection of an apostle (Acts 1:24) 
    2. Continually devoting themselves (Acts 2:42)
    3. Boldness to preach in spite of persecution – Peter and John threatened (Acts 4:23-31)
    4. When sending men out to serve bread to believing widows (Acts 6:6)
    5. Prayed for enemies and persecutors – Stephen prays for executioners (Acts 7:59-60)
    6. The prayer of an honest truth – seeker  (Acts 10:1-4) [Cornelius]
    7. When sending men out to share the good news  (Acts 13:1-3)
    8. When apostles are in prison:
      1. Peter in Prison  (Acts 12:5-12) prayer meeting at Mary’s house
      2. Paul and Silas in prison in Philippi  (Acts 16:25) singing and praying – listening
      3. Paul’s anticipation of arrest in Jerusalem  (Acts 20:36-38)
    9. Some had a place and time of prayer  (Acts 16:13-16) Lydia and riverside
    10. When parting from those they loved  (Acts 21:5)
  2. What Did Prayer Do for Them?
    1. It is always difficult to measure the results of prayer, but we perceive that it worked as God had promised in their lives. Acts examples:
      1. Place was shaken  (Acts 4:31)
      2. Prayed for boldness – spoke with boldness (Acts 4:29, 31)
      3. The truth – seeker’s prayer was heard and responded to positively (Acts 10:4)
      4. Peter was delivered from prison (Acts 12:5-12)
      5. Paul and Silas were released from prison and jailer and family released from sins (Acts 16:25-34)
    2. They believed prayer would obtain blessing for them and others (1 John 5:14, 15). “And this is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.”
      1. They prayed for lost people (Romans 10:1)
      2. For other Christians: (Colossians 1:9-12; 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3)
      3. Prayed for discernment: (Philippians 1:9-11)
      4. Churches prayed for Paul (Ephesians 6:18-19)
      5. Individual Christians prayed for churches (Colossians 4:12-13) [Epaphras]
      6. Churches and Christians prayed for the government (1 Timothy 2:1-2).
    3. The church believed that prayer gets results (Ephesians 3:14-21) Reading:
      1. James taught (James 5:13-18)
      2. The church believed that “Prayer moves the hand that moves the world.” (Romans 8:26-28)
      3. They had been taught that by Jesus (Matthew 7:7-11; Luke 11:1-13)
      4. Taught by Peter (1 Peter 3:12) “For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers;...”
    4. For what will we pray?
      1. Local-efforts to lead others to Christ
      2. Those in authority to have the courage to protect the lives of the unborn
      3. Those in authority to respect God’s definition of marriage
      4. Pray for homes where children can grow up with parents that love each other.
      5. Pray for parents with prodigal children. Hurting parents.
      6. Pray for young people to practice holy conduct. Personally and Publicly – School
      7. Pray for single Christians, young and older, to see their opportunities to serve.
      8. Pray for single parents.
      9. Pray for senior servants – seniors and those that serve them.
      10. Pray for widows, widowers and those abandoned by spouses.
      11. Pray for shepherds to have a heart for the people. (1 Thessalonians 5:11-12)
    5. What was the effect of all this praying?
      1. It built their faith
      2. Prayer is an affirmation of one’s faith. You don’t pray if you don’t think God hears or can provide your requests.
      3. God knows what we need before we ask.
        1. But we need to ask.
        2. “Do you give God instructions or report for duty?”
      4. The challenging question for today’s disciples is Jesus question at the end of His parable of the Unjust Judge: “When the Son of man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8)
        1. Contextual indications imply, “Will men still be praying?”
        2. The prayer meeting is not gone where faith in God persists.

Conclusion: Disciples of Christ prayed fervently and often. DO WE???