Generate Power: Pray

"They all met together continually for prayer..."
Acts 1:14

Not long ago I did a series on prayer, if you look back in the December archives, the series was entitled "How Effective is Prayer?" You may find it helpful to look back and refresh your mind on what prayer really is. Sometimes it's easy to loose sight of understanding how important this is in our Christian lives and what God expects of us.
We remain in a constant dependence on God. In order to accomplish God's purposes in the world, it requires us to devote ourselves to relentless prayer in the church. Prayer demonstrates our selflessness and God's self-centeredness. When we come to realize that it is impossible for us to accomplish His purposes in our own strength, we express our dependence upon God through prayer. When you read the story of the early church in the book of Acts, for some prayer was fundamental, rather than being supplemental. They were dependent on God's power. Every major breakthrough for the church in the book of Acts came as a direct result of prayer. Please observe, and pull out your Bible.

1. Acts 4:4
But many of the people who heard their message believed it, so the number of believers now totaled about 5,000 men, not counting women and children.

Happened as a result of:

Acts 3:1
Peter and John went to the Temple one afternoon to take part in the three o’clock prayer service.

2. Acts 4:31
After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness.

Happened as a result of:

Acts 4:29
And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word.

3. Acts 6:7
So God’s message continued to spread. The number of believers greatly increased in Jerusalem, and many of the Jewish priests were converted, too.

Happened as a result of:

Acts 6:3-4
And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility. 4 Then we apostles can spend our time in prayer and teaching the word.”

4. Acts 8:1-4
Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen.

Persecution Scatters the Believers

A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria. 2 (Some devout men came and buried Stephen with great mourning.) 3 But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison.
Philip Preaches in Samaria

4 But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went.

Happened as a result of:

Acts 7:59-60
As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 He fell to his knees, shouting, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” And with that, he died.

5. Acts 9:18
Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized.

Happened as a result of:

Acts 9:13
“But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem!

6. Acts 10:47-48
“Can anyone object to their being baptized, now that they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?” 48 So he gave orders for them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Afterward Cornelius asked him to stay with them for several days.

Happened as a result of:

Acts 10:9
The next day as Cornelius’s messengers were nearing the town, Peter went up on the flat roof to pray. It was about noon.

7. Acts 16:33
Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized.

Happened as a result of:

Acts 16:25
Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening.


If we want to make disciples in all the nations, then we will need to pray. Notice in these verses above that when the believers prayed the did not ask God to remove the problem, rather they asked that He would help them deal with it. No matter what our circumstances, we should praise God. Others may come to know Christ because of our example. It's like ripples in a pond, the gospel starts in the center, and each wave touches the next, spreading wider and farther. The early church started by touching each other, who in turn touched others until all felt the movement. This is how we change the world.