Prayer that moves God

Prayer that moves God

How to Stay Young series
by Dr. Charles Stanley

Viewed 2/26/2017

In Touch Ministries

Do you often wonder why your prayers go unanswered? What's the reason, why do your prayers go unanswered?

Acts 12:1-9

1 Now about that time Herod the king laid hands on some who belonged to the church in order to mistreat them.

2 And he had James the brother of John put to death with a sword.

3 When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. Now it was during the days of Unleavened Bread.

4 When he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out before the people.

5 So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God.

6 On the very night when Herod was about to bring him forward, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and guards in front of the door were watching over the prison.

7 And behold, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter's side and woke him up, saying, Get up quickly." And his chains fell off his hands.

8 And the angel said to him, Gird yourself and put on your sandals." And he did so. And he said to him, Wrap your cloak around you and follow me."

9 And he went out and continued to follow, and he did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.

10 When they had passed the first and second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened for them by itself; and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.

11 When Peter came to himself, he said, Now I know for sure that the Lord has sent forth His angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting."

12 And when he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.

13 When he knocked at the door of the gate, a servant-girl named Rhoda came to answer.

14 When she recognized Peter's voice, because of her joy she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter was standing in front of the gate.

15 They said to her, You are out of your mind!" But she kept insisting that it was so. They kept saying, It is his angel."

16 But Peter continued knocking; and when they had opened the door, they saw him and were amazed.

17 But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had led him out of the prison. And he said, Report these things to James and the brethren." Then he left and went to another place.

18 Now when day came, there was no small disturbance among the soldiers as to what could have become of Peter.

19 When Herod had searched for him and had not found him, he examined the guards and ordered that they be led away to execution. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and was spending time there.

Your Prayer Life - Prayer that moves God

Pray fervently TO GOD!  Not your own "homemade god," but the ONE TRUE GOD!

• Praying Fervently
• Put your whole heart into it
• weep for the cause
• Pray to God, the one true God
• created the world
• flooded the world
• part the red sea
• gave us the 10 commandments
• gave us the be attitudes
• broke down walls of Jericho
• gave David the Psalms
• gave us the prophets
• given us His only Son
• loves unconditionally
• doesn't tolerate sin
• the ultimate judge
• etc. Biblical references
•  He will grant any prayer that is His will for us in our lives.
• He has to have the time
• He get's the credit
• It's His will
• It's His timing
• List your prayers!
• Write the date down
• Be sincere
• Yourself/Family/Friends/Community/Leaders/World/etc.
• Praying in agreement with each other and in the will of God
• The deeper your hurt, pain, etc.. the more likely you'll want other to pray with you and for you.
• We all need to be held accountable
• It's a safety zone for us!
• Don't just have bedtime prayers
• Prayer is serious business

1. personal commitment to God
2. repent sins
3. prayer life