January 10, 2016

Victorious Prayer

Acts 12: 6 - 11

Acts

ActsActsActsACTSActsLukeActsActsActsThe night before Peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep, chained between two soldiers, with others standing guard at the prison gate. Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel tapped him on the side to awaken him and said, "Quick! Get up !" And the chains fell off his wrists. Then the angel told him, "Get dressed and put on your sandals." And he did. "Now put on your coat and follow me," the angel ordered.

So Peter left the cell, following the angel. But all the time he thought it was a vision. He didn't realize it was really happening. They passed the first and second guard posts and came to the iron gate to the street, and this opened to them all by itself. So they passed through and started walking down the street, and then the angel suddenly left him.

Peter finally realized what had happened. "It's really true!" he said to himself. "The Lord has sent his angel and saved me from Herod and from what the Jews were hoping to do to me!"

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Thoughts....

Since we last gathered, Satan has walloped me over and over in an attempt to cause me to flee God. Satan may have kept me from this website, but he did NOT keep me from reaching out in the name of the Lord, nor will he EVER EVER EVER cause me to flee God. Satan has huffed, and he has puffed, in an attempt to blow down the house that surrounds me of God's love and embrace, but he will NEVER EVER EVER succeed in causing our relationship to fall, nor be destroyed. As a result of God's love and victorious prayer, God carried me through. 'Through'. What an awesome word. It encompasses all of God's loving power and Jesus' saving grace and mercy. Alleluia.

Let's see what Peter went through.

Recall that Herod had imprisoned Peter to please the Jewish leaders during the Passover celebration. He had him placed under the guard of 4 squads of 4 soldiers each. Imagine: Herod actually thought all these guards would keep Peter from being free, and God from being able to be in control. Quite laughable from God's perspective surely. I can just picture the glint in God's eye and the upturned corners of God's mouth as he learns of Herod's thoughts, his fears, knowing he, God, would triumph. I also can see his sorrow for Satan.

Recall also the church was praying very earnestly for Peter.

Acts 12:6

First of all, note that Peter was able to sleep chained between 2 soldiers with others standing guard, imprisoned. He was either emphatically exhausted or thoroughly filled with trust in God to see him through.

Do you trust in God to see you through?

Acts 12:7-8

'Then suddenly there was a bright light in the cell and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. the angel of the Lord tapped him on the side to awaken him and said, "Quick! Get up!" And the chains fell off his wrists.' REALLY?!

Chained between 2 guards and THEY didn't see, hear, feel, sense? Were they asleep? Were they blinded by the light? Did the angel do an angel zap on them? Does it matter? YES!

Here's why: Think back over your life. Has there ever been a time when you wondered how something happened? How you got through?

Let me tell you a brief story. One day I was on my way somewhere. I don't know why, but I felt the strongest need to go back and get my Bible. So I did. I then took the same route in my car that I was initially headed. At the lighted intersection, before me enfolded a mess of an accident.

I had the green light going west. But on my left, headed north, as I entered the intersection, a car was coming at a very high rate of speed aimed directly at my car door. All of a sudden that car went into mid- air, veered at an angle while still in mid-air, and hit, as I recall, a huge statue of Paul Bunyon, or the light pole on the same corner, smack in the car's front end and it dropped to the ground.

That car never touched my car, did not have helicopter blades, nor jet propulsion. It was just coming at me one milisecond and the next it was in mid-air flight, crashed, and, the whole thing was over with in less than probably 15 seconds.

I remember seeing the car and reaching over with my right hand to touch my Bible. You and I might wonder why I needed to go back for my Bible. And consider that had I not, I might have cleared the intersection without incident. But what if my faith needed an increase? What if the other car driver needed a miracle to have faith? What if the poeple on the corner waiting to cross needed an increase? To see God move?

I know you must be thinking how they might think they had a miracle with a car wreck. They experienced a miraculous catapult into mid air without a push or fulcrum to achieve that. They veered in mid-air without a rudder or flaps to steer them. They hit a pole or statue to keep from landing on top of a building and potentially killing the occupants inside as well as innocent bystanders. Their impact was reduced so just front end damage was sustained.

They did not T-bone my car, nor kill me. Which absolutely would have occurred with a somersaulting mangle of my car and would have pushed me into the innocent bystanders waiting to cross on the curb.

I was clearly reminded of the grace, love, mercy of my Lord and Savior. No doubt Peter was, too. Hopefully the other driver learned this as well. And the people on the curb. And what a great time for Peter to be reminded - perhaps feeling let down. The whys behind the YES! Many are blinded in many ways to keep from seeing God move, God work, Jesus' redemptive power, Holy Spirit's embrace of truth.

Acts 8-9

'Then the angel told him, "Get dressed and put on your sandals." And he did. "Now put on your coat and follow me" the angel ordered. So Peter left the cell, following the angel. But all the time he thought it was a vision. He didn't realize it was really happening.'

Have you ever felt you were just 'following the leader' in life? Was it 'A' leader or 'THE' Leader - God, Jesus, Holy Spirit - you chose to follow? Have you felt you were in a fog or a dream moving forward? And then awakened wondering how you either got through....or were stuck in....the mess you either had just lived....or were still living?

The last lesson I shared John 10:10, that Satan's mission is to steal, kill and destroy. But God's mission is to give life abundantly! Next time you're in a fog, or a dream, pray to discern whether God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, or an angel of the Lord is guiding you. Or if Satan has bombarded you. If it's Satan, sidestep Satan's antics by refocusing on God's purpose(s) for your life. Then you WILL be able, like Peter, to pass through Satan's guard posts and his iron gates that keep you from the freedom of being in God's arms, knowing the redemption only Jesus can offer. You'll be able to live victoriously....again!

And know that an angel of the Lord WILL BE with you to get you through whatever life challenges are. Those roadblocks set by Satan in an attempt to diminish your testimony and relationship with THE Trinity: God, Jesus, Holy Spirit. The victory WILL BE the Lord's....and yours!

In verse 11 we learn, Peter finally realized what had happened. "It's really true!" he said to himself. "The Lord HAS [my emphasis] sent his angel and saved me from Herod and from what the Jews were hoping to do to me."

Folks - everyday, everywhere - the Lord seeks to save you. All you have to do is ask him to forgive you of your sins and ask him to come into your life. He's waiting - right now to receive you, and enter into your life: mind, body, spirit and soul. Receive him today!

And if you have been a child of God all along....look for all HIS miracles that have occurred to bring you through to this moment. Be reminded that he didn't leave you, nor forsake you. He's been there all along. Share those victorious prayer filled moments with others to gird them in the Lord, or bring them to him.

Victorious prayer: when you and others pray to God believing.

Peter slept while others prayed for him to be freed from imprisonment. Imprisonment can occur in the mind, body, spirit, soul, in your home, life situations, etc. Are others praying for you? Are you praying for yourself? Are you praying for others?

Today we learned about victorious prayer. Stay tuned to learn about redemption vs running.

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Let Us Pray

Dear Heavenly Father God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, I praise you and thank you! I am so grateful for carrying me when the going was rough to help me get through everything. And I do mean everything. I could not have done it without you and the loving prayers of those around me. I'd have been lost without you and the prayers of my loved ones and others. Thank you from the bottom of my heart and the core of my being. It's been a long journey this year, Lord, as you well know. I am very grateful to know that you knew what was going to happen and were with me through it all. You knew so well, as evidenced by the fact that todays 'Thoughts' were written one year ago, but never posted until now. Please don't leave me now....ever. Thank you for making available to me a library whereby I can continue to preach your written word, until such time as I can obtain either the repair (resurrection?) of my computer or the purchase of another one. Lord, God, Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, and Holy Spirit, forgive me of my sins, and continue to please be with me this day and every day hereafter even until the end of my time on earth and your embrace in heaven. I would also ask through victorious prayer, the same thing for everyone in the world. May they seek you, find you, worship and adore you, and, be grateful for you and all you have done and will do for them. Thank you for making a way for myself and my loved ones to always be together for all eternity. May others know the enormity of your love as I have. Victorious prayer works, even if one is so overwhelmed they cannot pray, because Holy Spirit will pray instead, if people ask to receive him as well. May everyone indeed do so. Thank you again. Please accept the love I have, with praise, for who you are, that you are, and how wonderful you are, and for all you've done and will do in my life. Thank you! I praise you! I love you! Amen.

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This message was typed on a library computer because the church (also used as my personal) computer ceased to function. It would mean the world to me, and to God, were you to make a donation today to enable me to purchase a computer, and hopefully be able to draw from the old computer all 'Thoughts' written for the Lord to complete the book he has slated for publishing. Thank you in advance, and, may God bless you.

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Let us hear from Paul as he prays:

When I think of the wisdom and scope of God's plan, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit. And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love. And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope. May he be given glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever through endless ages. Amen. Ephesians 3:14-21 NLT

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Scroll down to read Jesus' Prayer of Thanksgiving...'The Unforced Rhythms of Grace'.

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Definition of a Christian: Anyone who believes in God, Jesus and Holy Spirit, and accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior. Regardless of church name or religious affiliation.

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One last thing....

Jesus' Prayer of Thanksgiving

'The Unforced Rhythms of Grace'

"Abruptly Jesus broke into prayer: "Thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. You've concealed your ways from sophisticates and know-it-alls, but spelled them out clearly to ordinary people. Yes, Father, that's the way you like to work."

Jesus resumed talking to the people, but now tenderly. "The Father has given me all these things to do and say. This is a unique Father - Son operation, coming out of Father and Son intimacies and knowledge. No one knows the Son the way the Father does, nor the Father the way the Son does. But I'm not keeping it to myself; I'm ready to go over it line by line with anyone willing to listen."

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me - watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn how to live freely and lightly.

Matthew 11: 25-30

The Message

And the people said,

"Amen."

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I now write most prayers in the position of ' I ' (first person) because most people are sitting at their computer alone, not in groups, and it allows those reading and praying to personalize the prayer as coming from them going to God. Variations may appear on holidays when families may wish to use the prayer provided. I encourage you to pray your own prayers as well.

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Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

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