The Kind of Prayer God Answers

On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. When they heard this, they raised their
voices together in prayer to God.

"Sovereign Lord," they said, "you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:

Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the  earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against His anointed One.

"Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus."

After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. Acts 4:23-30

It seems to us that sometimes God answers prayer and sometimes He doesn't. In this prayer it is clearly demonstrated that He did answer.


What is the kind of prayer God answers?

1. A prayer that is actually prayed

Verse 24: "When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God."
Pay attention to what is happening. Bro Mike reminded us of our participation in the National Day of Prayer last May. 

We laid aside our petitions, our promotions, our own comments and agendas and predetermined answers to important questions.... and our thoughts about what kind of government we need or want.

We just prayed. Together.

2. A Prayer that recognizes God for who He is.

Verse 24: Sovereign Lord, you made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them....

They were acknowledging God's authority over everything.

3. A Prayer that is guided by God's Word

v. 25 You spoke by the Holy Spirit....

I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:11

God's word sparks our prayer. It prompts, informs and inspires us.

4. A Prayer that Recognizes God's sovereignty.

Verses 27-28 ....They [Herod and Pontius Pilate] did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.

God was in control -- in every detail.

5. A Prayer that seeks God's help to do God's Work.

Bro Mike talked about taking a 30-day inventory of our prayer life and see how much of our prayers center on us and our own needs and requests. Things to make our lives easier.

Verse 29: Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.

Remember what we signed up for. We are on assignment. We need to be in the right place at the right time to accomplish our assignments .

Bro Mike talked about going to Israel and seeing all the young men and women in uniform and carrying guns. They were on assignment. Bro Mike and his group were tourists - not in uniform and not carrying weapons.

Conclusion: Bro Mike referred again to how much our our prayers gravitate to our own stuff.

God is really interested in our prayer life. He is the Creator, the one at the beginning and the one at the end. We are in the middle -- along for the ride, at His invitation. We need to "buckle up."

This was a really great message for all of us. Bro Mike said he was himself challenged during his preparation to expand his prayer life to emphasize God's will and His word - not centering on His blessings to benefit himself.

I think just about all of us there were also challenged in the same way.