<p class="s19" style="text-align: left;"><span class="s34"><span class="bumpedFont20">TITLE:   THE POWER OF APRAYING CHURCH: </span></span><span class="s34"><span class="bumpedFont20">WHEN THE CHURCH PRAYS…</span></span> ​</p>
<p class="s37">TEXT: ACTS 12: 1-19</p>
<p class="s37"><span class="s34"><span class="bumpedFont20">INTRODUCTION</span></span></p>

<div class="s40"><span class="s38">A. </span><span class="s39"><span class="bumpedFont20">Every day, </span></span><span class="s39"><span class="bumpedFont20">decisions are made that do not favor the life and livelihood of </span></span><span class="s39"><span class="bumpedFont20">average, </span></span><span class="s39"><span class="bumpedFont20">ordinary people</span></span><span class="s39"><span class="bumpedFont20">  </span></span>​</div>
<div class="s44"><span class="s38">1. </span><span class="s41"><span class="bumpedFont20">Micah 2:1</span></span><span class="s42"><span class="bumpedFont20">, “</span></span><span class="s43"><span class="bumpedFont20">Woe to those who devise iniquity, And work out evil on their beds! At morning light they practice it, Because it is in the power of their </span></span><span class="s43"><span class="bumpedFont20">hand.”</span></span></div>
<div class="s44"><span class="s38">2. </span><span class="s41"><span class="bumpedFont20">Matthew 13:25</span></span><span class="s42"><span class="bumpedFont20"> (NLT), “</span></span><span class="s43"><span class="bumpedFont20">But that night as the workers slept, his enemy </span></span></div>
<p class="s45"><span class="s43"><span class="bumpedFont20">came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away</span></span><span class="s42"><span class="bumpedFont20">.”</span></span></p>

<div class="s44"><span class="s38">3. </span><span class="s41"><span class="bumpedFont20">Isaiah 5:20</span></span><span class="s42"><span class="bumpedFont20">, “</span></span><span class="s43"><span class="bumpedFont20">Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!</span></span><span class="s42"><span class="bumpedFont20">“</span></span></div>
<div class="s44"><span class="s38">4. </span><span class="s41"><span class="bumpedFont20">Amos 2:6</span></span><span class="s42"><span class="bumpedFont20">, “…t</span></span><span class="s43"><span class="bumpedFont20">hey sell the righteous for silver, And the poor for a pair of </span></span></div>
<p class="s46"><span class="s43"><span class="bumpedFont20">sandals</span></span><span class="s42"><span class="bumpedFont20">.”</span></span></p>

<div class="s40"><span class="s38">B. </span><span class="s39"><span class="bumpedFont20">Nevertheless, God is working on the behalf of His people – and desires to work in miraculous and supernatural ways</span></span> ​</div>
<div class="s44"><span class="s38">1. </span><span class="s41"><span class="bumpedFont20">Exodus 3:7</span></span><span class="s42"><span class="bumpedFont20">, “</span></span><span class="s43"><span class="bumpedFont20">I have surely seen the oppression of My people who </span></span><span class="s43"><span class="bumpedFont20">are</span></span><span class="s43"><span class="bumpedFont20"> in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their </span></span><span class="s43"><span class="bumpedFont20">sorrows</span></span><span class="s42"><span class="bumpedFont20">” </span></span></div>
<div class="s44"><span class="s38">2. </span><span class="s41"><span class="bumpedFont20">Jeremiah 33:3</span></span><span class="s42"><span class="bumpedFont20">, “</span></span><span class="s43"><span class="bumpedFont20">Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know</span></span><span class="s42"><span class="bumpedFont20">.”</span></span></div>
<div class="s44"><span class="s38">3. </span><span class="s41"><span class="bumpedFont20">Psalm 20:6</span></span><span class="s42"><span class="bumpedFont20">, “</span></span><span class="s43"><span class="bumpedFont20">Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven With the saving strength of His right hand.”</span></span></div>
<div class="s44"><span class="s38">4. </span><span class="s41"><span class="bumpedFont20">Isaiah 65:24</span></span><span class="s42"><span class="bumpedFont20">, “</span></span><span class="s43"><span class="bumpedFont20">It shall come to pass That before they call, I will answer; </span></span><span class="s43"><span class="bumpedFont20">And </span></span></div>
<p class="s46"><span class="s43"><span class="bumpedFont20">while they are still speaking, I will hear</span></span><span class="s42"><span class="bumpedFont20">.”</span></span></p>
<p class="s37"><span class="s34"><span class="bumpedFont20">WHEN THE DEVIL </span></span><span class="s34"><span class="bumpedFont20">WORKS</span></span></p>

<div class="s47"><span class="s26">A. </span><span class="s39"><span class="bumpedFont20">Jesus </span></span><span class="s39"><span class="bumpedFont20">was</span></span><span class="s39"><span class="bumpedFont20"> persecuted – Herod </span></span></div>
<div class="s47"><span class="s26">B. </span><span class="s39"><span class="bumpedFont20">The church </span></span><span class="s39"><span class="bumpedFont20">was</span></span><span class="s39"><span class="bumpedFont20"> persecuted – Herod</span></span></div>
<div class="s47"><span class="s26">C. </span><span class="s39"><span class="bumpedFont20">Peter </span></span><span class="s39"><span class="bumpedFont20">was</span></span><span class="s39"><span class="bumpedFont20"> persecuted</span></span><span class="s39"><span class="bumpedFont20"> – Herod </span></span></div>
<div class="s40"><span class="s26">D. </span><span class="s39"><span class="bumpedFont20">Today…</span></span></div>
<div class="s44"><span class="s26">1. </span><span class="s39"><span class="bumpedFont20">Believers and the church are being persecuted</span></span></div>
<div class="s44"><span class="s26">2. </span><span class="s39"><span class="bumpedFont20">The world is becoming more emboldened</span></span></div>
<div class="s48"><span class="s26">3. </span><span class="s39"><span class="bumpedFont20">The devil desires to imprison and destroy</span></span></div>
<p class="s37"><span class="s34"><span class="bumpedFont20">WHEN THE CHURCH PRAYS</span></span></p>

<div class="s47"><span class="s26">A. </span><span class="s39"><span class="bumpedFont20">Peter was in prison, but</span></span> <span class="s39"><span class="bumpedFont20">c</span></span><span class="s39"><span class="bumpedFont20">onstant prayer was offered to God for him by the church</span></span></div>
<div class="s40"><span class="s26">B. </span><span class="s39"><span class="bumpedFont20">Characteristics of the prayer…</span></span><span class="s39"><span class="bumpedFont20">  Constant = </span></span><span class="s49"><span class="bumpedFont20">ektenēs</span></span> <span class="s39"><span class="bumpedFont20">= stretched out</span></span></div>
<div class="s44"><span class="s26">1. </span><span class="s39"><span class="bumpedFont20">At least, a couple of days. (The Passover was seven days)</span></span></div>
<div class="s44"><span class="s26">2. </span><span class="s39"><span class="bumpedFont20">All day long</span></span></div>
<div class="s48"><span class="s26">3. </span><span class="s39"><span class="bumpedFont20">Well into the night. (Peter is sleeping; the church is praying</span></span></div>
<div class="s40"><span class="s26">C. </span><span class="s39"><span class="bumpedFont20">God worked with </span></span><span class="s39"><span class="bumpedFont20">miraculous and supernatural power </span></span></div>
<div class="s44"><span class="s26">1. </span><span class="s39"><span class="bumpedFont20">An angel appeared, and light shone in the cell</span></span></div>
<div class="s44"><span class="s26">2. </span><span class="s39"><span class="bumpedFont20">Peter’s chains fell off</span></span></div>
<div class="s44"><span class="s26">3. </span><span class="s39"><span class="bumpedFont20">They passed the first and second guard posts undetected</span></span></div>
<div class="s48"><span class="s26">4. </span><span class="s39"><span class="bumpedFont20">The iron gate opened by itself  (Itself = </span></span><span class="s49"><span class="bumpedFont20">automatos</span></span><span class="s39"><span class="bumpedFont20">)</span></span></div>
<p class="s50"><span class="s34"><span class="bumpedFont20">CHALLENGE FOR THE WEEK</span></span><span class="s34"><span class="bumpedFont20">:</span></span><span class="s34"><span class="bumpedFont20"> I WILL COMMIT TO CONSTANT PRAYER</span></span></p>
<p class="s50"><span class="s51"><span class="bumpedFont15">WORK FOR THE WEEK</span></span></p>