Doctrine of Prayer

When People Pray

“And when they had prayed,

the place was shaken where they were assembled together;
and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost,
and they spake the word of God with boldness.”
~*~
Acts 4:31

Before prayer we can do very little spiritual good. After prayer we can do much more. A
great amount of activity without prayer will often result in failure. The same effort with prayer
will often result in great success. In fact, prayer attended every major spiritual event in the Bible.

Before the nation of Israel was created,

Abraham prayed to God and Isaac was born.

Before the children of Israel were brought out of the

Land of Bondage there was a Passover and prayer.

Before a new civilization was created after the flood,

Noah worshipped God. He prayed.

When Solomon dedicated the temple, He prayed.

When the walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt and dedicated

following the Babylonian Exile, Nehemiah and Ezra prayed.

Before Jesus began His great earthly ministry, He fasted and prayed.
Before the Lord called His disciples, He spent the night in prayer.
Before Calvary, there was Gethsemane. In the garden Jesus prayed.
Before the power of Pentecost came, there was prayer.

In all these events and more we discover that when God's people pray, powerful and
glorious things happen. God's people not only must pray but they will pray even when forbidden
to call upon the name of the Lord

Acts 4:18 And they [the Jewish officials] called them [the apostles], and commanded
them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered and
said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God,
judge ye. 20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.

While it was wrong for the officials of Jerusalem to prohibit prayer, it was right for the
Christians to pray for many great things happened. Observe the following.
 First, the Christians were filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts 4:31 And when they had
prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with
the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. To be filled with the Holy Spirit
means

 to possess a power greater than one's own.

 to have a priority that transcends worldly things.
 to know less of self and more of the Savior.

Second, the Christians found new courage Acts 4:18 And they called them, and
commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus…31 And when they had
prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with
the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. There are many things that make
us timid.

 Fear of failure.
 Fear of rejection.
 Fear of ridicule.
 Fear of physical abuse.

There is Someone who can make us bold enough to say no to those who sin while inviting
them to come to the Savior for salvation and cleansing. When Martin Luther was told that he
would be killed if he went to the Diet of Worms, he answered, "If every tile on every house in the
city turned into a devil, I will still go up and take my stand." His courage was born of
communion with Christ. A certain martyr on the way to execution said to his executioner, "Feel
of my pulse, it is calmer than yours." His courage was born of prayer. It was said that the
personal presence of Caesar made every common soldier a hero. And when we pray, the personal
presence of Jesus makes us bold to stand up for Him. When we pray we find courage not only to
do right but to be right.

First, the Christian community become united in the presence of prayer. We read of the
New Testament church that the saints were of one heart and one soul. Acts 4:32 And the
multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that
ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. In
mythology we read about Cadmus, who slew a dragon. Then he took the dragon's teeth and
sowed them broadcast in a fertile field. When he returned later he found that each seed had
sprung up into a giant. He was afraid of what they might do to him so he decided to employ a
clever ruse to cause the giants to fight each other. He threw a stone and struck one of the giants
on the ear. This giant thought that another giant had struck him, so a fight ensued. Soon all the
giants were fighting each other and before long all of them were killed, while Cadmus looked on
and laughed. Our churches are full of potential spiritual giants, but Satan often sows discord
among the members and they end up as spiritual pygmies, fighting one another. This gives Satan
his highest joy. But when Christians really pray together, they are more likely to become of one
mind in the Lord.
 Second, when Christians pray they have a better sense of stewardship. Acts 4:32 And
the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them
that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.
Realizing that they had been bought with a price, the early Christians put everything they owned
at the Lord's disposal and by so doing were able to help each other.

Third, the love of Christ is free to flow when Christians pray so that others are
attracted to the gospel. Acts 4:33 "Great grace was upon them." The countenance of a spirit
filled child of God is radically different. One day President Lincoln was dealing with would be
office holders. He turned one man in particular away. When his secretary asked why, Lincoln
replied, "I did not like his face." "Is that really fair, Mr. President," asked the secretary. Replied
Lincoln. "I don't know. But after thirty every man is responsible for his own face." When Moses
came down from the mountain where he had been communing with God, his face was shining.
Prayer will calm our spirits and change our countenance.

Fourth, when Christian pray, places are shaken. Things begin to happen. One night
Paul and Silas were arrested for preaching the gospel. While in prison they prayed and sang
songs. God listened to the voice of his saints and moved to help them. The earth shook and the
prison doors were cast open. The captain of a small ship was taken ill while at sea. There was
medicine in the medicine chest, but those on board the ship did not know which medicine to give
the captain for his particular illness. There was one hope—maybe they could send a message out
and a ship, which had a doctor on board, would pick it up. So the radio operator flung out a
message for help, north, south, east, and west. Soon an answer came across the waves, the
correct medicine was given to the captain and his life was saved. Somebody called this "a
parable of prayer." But we see one difference here. The radio operator sent out a message over
the air waves, hoping that someone somewhere would be hear it. He did not know whether or not
the message would be received. But when we pray it is not a message flung aimlessly in the air.
We send it directly to God. We know there is One who will hear, and we know our cry will reach
the Father's ear. When Christian pray, wonderful results begin to happen.