Acts 12 – 13

                                     Fervent Prayer

The early church was a church of prayer…..

-Isaiah 56:7 – OT

-Matthew 21:13 – NT

1. FERVENT PRAYER RELEASES THE SUPERNATURAL – vs7-11

-Angels are released by the Lord to do His work and will

-nothing humanly possible could be done for Peter

-the supernatural power of God only worked to do what Peter could not do for himself

2. FERVENT PRAYER IS NOT JUST FOR WHEN YOU ARE IN TROUBLE – 1 Thess 5:16-21

-if you only pray when you are in trouble, then you are in trouble

-praying all of the time does not eliminate trouble.  It helps us to get through the trouble

verse 11 – Peter isn’t sure what is happening, but collects his thoughts

v12 – Peter visits Marys house to tell them he has gotten out of prison

vs13-19 – Peter vanished from the book of Acts

vs20-23 – the death of Herod

-fighting the Lord never ends up good

v24 – the church kept going

v25 – John Mark joins Paul and Barnabus on a missions trip

                                                   Acts 13

verse 1 – church – means to assemble together/called out ones

             – the church is to meet together – Hebrews 10:25

             – it does matter where you attend church

——-The book of Acts is the pattern for all churches to follow:

1. An Acts church practices and believes all of the Word of God – Acts 13:1

2. An Acts church has strong body ministry

3. An Acts church reaches out locally and to the world – v3

4. An Acts church prays – v2

5. An Acts church is a giving church – v2

6. An Acts church desires the Lord and His presence more than programs – v2

7. An Acts church is an integrated church – v1

8. An Acts church uses all of the 5-fold ministry gifts – v1

9. An Acts church’s mani goal is the Great Commission

10. An Acts church pleases the Lord and not people

verse 2 – The Principle of Separation

a. the Holy Spirit separates through His voice

-He separates us from sin

b. The Son separates through the Word of God – Colossians 3:8-19

c. The Father separates through pruning – John 15

verse 4 – being sent out needs the blessing of leadership

vs4-5 – Paul & Barnabus are sent out

v6 – The Lord was using the church at Antioch is a great way and then the enemy shows up – A Sorcerer Elymas…….he was involved in witchcraft

vs6-8 – withstood – means to oppose and stand against

vs9-10 – Paul resists the enemy