The Answer Is…
Rekindling The Ancient Flame of Prayer

The Four Pillars of the Early Church
- Built on an SUPERNATURAL EXPECTANCY
- Built on AUTHENTIC COMMUNITY
- Built on PRAYER & FASTING
- Built on the PURE GOSPEL

1:12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. 13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
(Ac 1:12–14).

The Church began in a prayer meeting (1:14)
The disciples chose a 12th disciple in a prayer meeting (1:21)
The disciples devoted themselves to the prayer meeting (2:42/6:4)
Peter healed the lame man on his way to a prayer meeting (3:1)
The disciples were praying when the house shook (4:31)
It was leaving a prayer meeting that Peter's shadow healed the sick (5:12)
The Disciples anointed the deacons in a prayer meeting (6:6)
Ananias found Saul after his conversion in a prayer meeting (9:11 & 22:17)
Peter was in a prayer meeting when he had his vision (10:9)
Cornelius knew to find Peter because of a prayer meeting (10:30)
A prayer meeting secured Peter's release from prison (12:12)
Barnabas and Paul’s Missionary journey began with a prayer meeting (13:3)
Paul & Silas in prison held a prayer meeting (16:25)
Paul in Miletus held a prayer meeting with the elders (20:36)
Paul’s led a prayer meeting on their ship when caught in a Nor-easter (27:29)

“If you want to know how popular the church is come on Sunday morning, if you want to know how popular the preacher is come on Sunday night, but if you want to know how popular God is, come to the prayer meeting” - Ravenhill

His Church was Birthed and Built by a Prayer meeting

1:14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

The Church was birthed in a prayer meeting

42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
(Ac 2:42)

The Church was built by a prayer meeting

(2:41) 3000 added to the church
(4:4) 5000 added to the church

The Church was emboldened by a prayer meeting

31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.
(Ac 4:30–31)

We were welcomed into the church because of a prayer meeting

10 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, 2 a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. 3 About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.” 4 And he stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. 5 And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter. 6 He is lodging with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.” 7 When the angel who spoke to him had departed, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among those who attended him, 8 and having related everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.
(Ac 10:1–8)

9 The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. 10 And he became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance 11 and saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth. 12 In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. 13 And there came a voice to him: “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” 14 But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” 15 And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has made clean, do not call common.” 16 This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven.
17 Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what the vision that he had seen might mean, behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon’s house, stood at the gate 18 and called out to ask whether Simon who was called Peter was lodging there. 19 And while Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. 20 Rise and go down and accompany them without hesitation, for I have sent them.” (Ac 10:9–20).

44 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. 45 And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. 46 For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, 47 “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” (Ac 10:44–47)

- There was a cry from the city
- There was someone listening from the rooftop

The church lives or dies by the prayer meeting

Jesus prayed at the Jordon when he has baptized
He prayed at the Mount of Transfiguration
He prays before He went to the cross.
He Modeled a life of prayer from beginning to end, should we pray any less?

We cannot have big results from our small praying. The law of prayer is the law of harvest: sow sparingly in prayer, reap sparingly; sow bountifully in prayer, reap bountifully. The trouble is we are trying to get from our efforts what we never put into them. - Ravenhill

Put it to action:

The 7:14 Prayer
Tuesday Prayer (All Day 8:30-4:30, 10-12 Intercession, 12-12:30 online)
National Day of Prayer Sat Sept 26
- 9am - 9pm in the Dome
- 12pm-2pm Prayer Walk starting at the common, around the court house

There is a CRY coming from our CITIES!
Is there a EAR listening from the ROOFTOPS?

UNITE714
Weekly Prayer
6 through 12 September

Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit. James 5:17-18 (ESV)

And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink, for there is a sound of the rushing of rain.” So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Mount Carmel. And he bowed himself down on the earth and put his face between his knees. And he said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” And he went up and looked and said, “There is nothing.” And he said, “Go again,” seven times. And at the seventh time he said, “Behold, a little cloud like a man's hand is rising from the sea.” And he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot and go down, lest the rain stop you.’” And in a little while the heavens grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel. 1 Kings 18:41-45 (ESV)

The Prayer

Lord, Your Scriptures are filled with astonishing accounts of men and women who changed their world through prayer. Elijah is among these heroes and heroines of the faith. He was human, just like us. Your Scriptures record he was greatly overwhelmed with fear and anxiety at one point in his life. Yet, even in the weakness of his humanity, You made him strong. Through Your power and his prayers, the course of history changed. Today, knowing You are the God whose strength is made perfect in our weakness, we humbly come united before Your throne, crying out in prayer.

Lord, make us strong in our weakness today. Fill us with the faith we need to patiently persist in prayer until COVID-19 is eradicated and our world is flooded with a fresh outpouring of Your Spirit.

Heavenly Father, Elijah had just experienced the greatest encounter of His life. Fire literally fell from heaven. His enemies were seemingly defeated. Yet, there was no rain, and a drought was destroying his world. Today, like Elijah, we will not just settle for great church services. Our cities and nations are being ravaged by a relentless pandemic, and the hearts of the world’s people are parched and desperate for the rains of heaven. Like Elijah, we can hear the sound of divine breakthrough. Yet, it is no time to merely settle and play. Like Elijah, it is time for us to pray.

Lord, we will not settle for great church services and simply being blessed by the manifestation of Your presence and power. No, we boldly come before You in unity, crying out: Eradicate COVID-19 and bring a fresh move of Your Spirit to the earth.

Heavenly Father, prayer is often hard work. Today, we rise out of the mire of discouragement and patiently climb the mountain of prayer. Like Elijah, who did not settle for rain clouds and winds, we too, will persevere, until the spiritual drought destroying our planet is broken by the fresh rains of heaven.

Lord, we boldly come before Your throne from 179 nations around the world. You have transformed our desperation into the discipline we need to change the course of our world through united prayer. We now cry out, saying: Heal our lands from the ravages of this pandemic, revive and unite Your church, and save millions through Your glorious Gospel. In Jesus’ name we pray.

#UNITE714