you Yeah. all right good evening welcome to liberty baptist church for our wednesday evening service if you can let's stand we're going to sing stepping in the light trying to walk in the steps of the savior trying to follow Like by His blessed example Happy, how happy the songs that we bring How beautiful to walk in the steps of the Savior Stepping in the light, stepping in the light How beautiful to walk in the steps of the Savior How beautiful to walk in the steps of the Savior Upwards, still upward King in His beauty, happy, how happy Our place at His side, sing it out How beautiful to walk in the steps of the Savior Good to see you back tonight. Let's go to the Lord in a prayer. but we ask for your help and blessing on the service again tonight. Thank you for the times we've had with Brother Coral. Bless this last evening we had together. Speak through him to us, touch our hearts, and work on anyone that might not be saved and those that, if we're not living to our full spiritual potential, help us to get busy about that. In Jesus' name, amen. You may be seated. Anyone here for the first time or the first time in a long time? Good to see you back, ma'am. Anyone else? Hello, young man. Good to see y'all back, too. Been a while. All right. I am going to do a lot of the regular Wednesday night announcements. I'll still do it as quickly as I can, because we want to give Brother Cora all the time that we can. As far as prayer requests, we're always praying for Preacher and Cindy's health, Brother Wynn and his family's safety. and Brother Coral has sure been a blessing. Again, if you're looking at books and didn't bring money or a credit card or whatever tonight, we'll still have the books out for sure on Sunday. I usually keep them out for a few extra days, but we'll have them out for at least one week, especially since those kids' books came in late. That way, it'll give some of you a chance to get them, but a lot of good books on the book table. And then as far as stuff going on we also are praying for brother Siddler. He's a missionary to Santa Dominga and We're having a cleanup on the 26th. That's a workday here on a Saturday food and water provided If you want to bring gloves and stuff, that would be great Then we have the upcoming meeting with brother Owens on the 4th, which will be a Wednesday night here, and then the 6th and the 7th, which is a Friday and a Saturday night at Texas Baptist. We're hosting a youth conference over there, but everybody is invited. Natalie and Carl invite you into the fellowship hall today, because somebody is celebrating a birthday. How old is the young lad? It's hard to believe that he's four, but he's getting up there, so there'll be cake and stuff in the Fellowship Hall after church tonight if you'd like to go in there for that. We do appreciate all of you being faithful. Again, I remember when we used to have revival for the whole week, so we're getting off easy. The first two or three days in the in the old week revival was pretty easy It was only when you got to thursday or friday or saturday that you started getting really wore out But as we get older we get wore out a little sooner So but again, it was blessing to have brother coral with us all this time Keep him in prayer again Always when you're praying about the meeting here pray that ask god to touch your heart and others as well But again, don't forget to pray for all the stuff coming up with the election as well and again, I think I don't remember what day I told Brother Nichols, but I believe early voting starts next week if I remember right, but I'll find the date and give that to you. Monday. So I looked it up earlier today when we was talking about it, but I don't remember now. That's the problem of having a short memory. I don't remember now what day it was, but I knew it wasn't this week. I thought it already opened when I looked it up. It wasn't until next week, but again, it's a lot easier to do it early. then you don't have to worry about something happening the day of, you're getting late for work, you're not feeling good or bad weather, and again, it'll be open so you can, and you can go to any place on early voting, on your voting day, you're supposed to go to your place, and sometimes if I waited too late, I was at Southwest High School, now they've moved it, but I was at Southwest High School, a long line, so I started early voting years ago, made life a lot simpler, but again, and I usually go right down here to this library on military, The library, you can early vote there. I'm not sure the other places. I just know you can go to that one. But if you can look it up on your phone, it will tell you all the places you can go. But again, early voting is much easier and simpler than trying to wait till the day of. But again, keep all the election in prayer and all the folks that's, all the stuff that's going on with that. All right. Channels only. How I praise Thee, precious Savior, that Thy love laid hold of me. Thou hast saved and cleansed and filled me, that I might Thy channel be. Channels only, blessed Master, but with all Thy wondrous power flowing through us, Thou canst use us Jesus, fill now with Thy Spirit, hearts fearful, surrender no, that the streams of living water from our inner man may flow. How can she use us every day? Don't look back. It ain't worth what you'll be paying. There's nothing that you're gonna find back there worth taking. Keep moving on, my friend. Forget about where you've been. Learn to listen and leave behind the past. Don't look back. Well, the Bible tells a story that I'm sure you've all heard Of Sodom and Gomorrah and how God gave Lot his word That he would spare his family from the awful day of wrath If they would flee that wicked city and don't look back Now the Lord had sent two angels to take Lot's family away from the destruction that town was gonna see. They said, don't look behind you as you leave this dreaded place. But that request turned out to be more than Lot's wife could take. She couldn't bear to turn her back on all those things she had So she traded off a lifetime for a memory that didn't last Don't look back, it ain't worth what you'll be paying There's nothing that you're gonna find back there worth taking Keep moving on, my friend, forget about where you've been Learn to listen, leave behind the past and don't look back. Now God's children must be careful as they live from day to day. Cause every now and then we feel like heading back the other way. All those memories from the old life aren't easy to forget. And before you know, you'll be making choices you'll regret. Just remember all the damage, just one look can do. If you want to keep moving forward, you better make sure that you Don't look back. It ain't worth what you'll be paying. There's nothing that you're gonna find back there worth taking. Keep moving on, my friend. Forget about where you've been. Learn to listen, leave behind the past. And don't look back. Fellas in the sound room, I have one more prayer request. I know you usually cut that out when I do that. So don't forget to pray for him. For those of you that have been coming all week, you've already heard Brother Koro several times. got all the points in and he doesn't usually do that. Usually he just gets through the introduction and he doesn't get through the rest of it. So I'm in shock and amazement that that's happened, but that's a blessing. So again, whether you take notes or don't, make sure you have your Bible out, pay attention and listen. Brother Crowell is going to come one more time and be a blessing to us here at the church. All right, amen. Good to see you here tonight. It's been a good week and I've certainly enjoyed myself. I want to say thank you to Brother Nichols, to the church, Brother Block, for all the kindness extended to me. And I did not show pictures of the baby. to anybody so you can thank me like Jim Brown would. But my wife would have loved to have been along, but with Christy about to bring forth that child, my wife couldn't go anywhere. She's a grandma. So she had to be there. She was determined to be there and it worked out pretty well. But she always enjoys coming here as well. I hope you take a little time to go by the book table back there. There's a lot of material there. I didn't say much about it. And I'm not gonna take time tonight to have the ushers pass these out, but fellas, if you could be ready at the end of the service as people leave, make them available if you'd like one. This will enable you to get the Revival Fires newspaper, and I think the bundle, was it the papers that came? The most recent issue has a voter's guide in it. And some interesting comparisons that I think really clarify things. And so I'd encourage you to pick up a free copy of it, take a glance at it. I think you'll see some material there that'll be helpful to you. And then of course, if you would like to have the paper come into your home once a month. I told them last night, if you put $12 in the envelope, it says 18. And believe me, it takes all of that to produce it and put it out and pay the staff every month. And then some, if I did not have advertisers in addition to subscribers, there's no possibility that I could put it out. But $12, and I'm interested in getting it in your hands, getting it in other people's hands. You may have a loved one or a friend that does not even live in San Antonio. You could sign them up, of course you have to put the money or the check in the envelope, and you can send the paper to them for 12 months for $12. And I'd encourage you to do that, it has a plan of salvation in it every month. So they're gonna get the gospel if they're not saved, and you never know what's gonna get somebody's attention if they are saved. It might help them find a good church in their area, And it will certainly be material that would encourage their heart spiritually and help them to grow in the grace of God. So those things are back there. The ladies will be back there at the end. And if you need an envelope, the ushers will have those available on the way out. You can fill them out, give them to the ladies at the book table, and they'll get them to me before I leave tonight. Do me a favor if you're gonna go by the table. Do that first. And then fellowship to your heart's content. Fellowship is a healthy sign, but please don't wait until everybody's leaving the building and then go by the table about time that they're ready to close it up. If you're going to go by and take a look at the things, don't want to get the envelopes to me and any checks, credit card slips, and so on. before I leave this evening. And so if you could do that, I'd greatly appreciate it. Take your Bibles and turn with me to Acts chapter four. Acts chapter four. We're gonna begin reading in verse 31. I'm gonna let you go ahead and remain seated. The key to this entire message is the first phrase of verse 31. It says, and when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together. They were all filled with the Holy Ghost and they spake the word of God with boldness. And a multitude of them that believed were of one heart and one soul. Neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had all things common. And great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them. Neither was there any among them that lacked, for as many as were possessors of lands and houses sold them and brought the prices of the things that were sold and laid them down at the apostles' feet, and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need. Let's bow our heads together, please. Father, we love you. We thank you for the word of God. Thank you for these days together. Thank you for the privilege to be in the pulpit tonight, and I yield to you. Please, Lord, would you fill and use me in these moments. Pray you'd minister to our need and encourage our hearts and please Lord get honor and glory to yourself. There'll be a lost one. Convict and draw that one to yourself and save them tonight and we'll praise you for it. And thank you in Jesus name, amen. I'm gonna talk to you about that little phrase, when they had prayed. You know, there are some things you can expect to come to pass when you have prayed. there are some things that are never going to happen if you do not pray. It says there were a number of things that took place when they had prayed. Now in Acts chapter 3, Peter and John were going to the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour, that's three o'clock in the afternoon, and they encountered a certain lame man at the beautiful gate And they were able to minister to him, and the Lord Jesus gave him strength. Peter reached down, helped him, and he ran, leaped, praised God. And that stirred up, it excited the people, and it angered the religious hypocrites who were in charge of things. And it really bothered them. And I want you to understand that anytime there is a move of God, it irritates religious lost people. It does not bode well for them in their system of theology that is powerless and dead. It exposes them when God moves and does some things. So it caused excitement among the people and alarm among the religious leaders. It led to persecution. It tells us in chapter four, verse three, that these religious leaders laid hands on them. And in verse 17, they threatened them and told them not to speak anymore in the name of Jesus. And this led to a prayer meeting. It didn't lead to a battle, to a physical fight, it led to a prayer meeting. Once they had been apprehended, once they had been persecuted, once they had been threatened, They went to prayer, and the Bible tells us that God showed up in that prayer meeting. It says, and when they had prayed, things happened. But I want you to notice something else in verse 31. It says, and when they had prayed, the place was shaken, where they were assembled together. There's something to this thing of being assembled. I am not implying that God does not answer individual prayers, nor am I implying that you have to be assembled in order to pray. But I am implying when a church unites in prayer, there's great power there. In Matthew 18, 18 and 19, he said, whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven. Whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. And if any two of you shall agree as concerning anything they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. You know, I think we're living in a day when the local church doesn't hold the proper value in the minds of believers. And for that reason, lost people hardly ever darken a church door because Christians are so sporadic. They seem to blow church off for virtually anything and everything. In Hebrews 10 and verse 25, the Bible says, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the day approaching. And if you can't see the day approaching, I'll get you a seeing eye dog. the coming of Christ is near and there are no signs to the rapture but we are certainly in the last days and I am anticipating the coming of Christ in the air and we should be living in anticipation of his return to get us and take us out of this world. And if you're looking for him, you'll be assembled. If you're looking for him, you'll be praying. If you're looking for him, you'll be in the will of God. You know, when I was anticipating my dad's return and he had given me responsibilities, I made sure that I was busy doing what he had given me to do when I was actually anticipating his return. Now when I thought I had more time, oftentimes I was negligent. And it never seemed to fail that when I was negligent, he showed up when I least expected it. And Paul said in 2 Timothy chapter four, I fought a good fight, I finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me at that day, and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. You say, oh preacher, I love the Lord. He didn't say to all them that love the Lord. He asked Peter, lovest thou me more than these? There are those that love pleasure more than they love God. So the question is not, do you love him? The question was, would you love his appearing? if he showed up right now. You know, I always loved my dad. When I was a boy living at home, whether I was in good terms, bad terms, in favor, in trouble, I loved my dad, always loved my dad. But I did not always love his appearing. There were times when I was not expecting him to show up and he caught me red-handed being an idiot. That was in trouble with my father and so I'm not gonna question whether or not you love God. I'm not even gonna deal with you tonight on how much you love God because you love by degree and there are things that take preeminence. But the question is if he were to come this moment Would you be glad to see him? Are things in order if you had to give account of your life in its present state? How would that be? The Bible tells us that these people were assembled and praying. They did not cower at persecution, nor did they rebel and operate in anger. They went straight to the prayer closet. You know, the Bible says in Philippians chapter four, be careful for nothing but in everything. By prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. What he tells me is don't fret and worry about anything, but pray about everything. I'm afraid oftentimes we spend all of our time focusing on the problem and no time directing our attention to the solution. The Lord is the solution. Answered prayer is the solution. If it is the prayer of faith, James 5 and verse 15, it has saving power, delivering power. But the Bible tells us in verse 31, when they had prayed, And I'm afraid that is not something that we do as often and as faithfully as we must. We're gonna have revival. There was a revival that took place here. There was one in Acts chapter two and it took place as a result of 120 people assembling in an upper room. The number of the name is 120 according to Acts 1 verse 14. And they stayed there and prayed for 10 days. Now, when do you think is the last time 120 born again believers assembled in one place and did nothing but pray for 10 days. Probably Acts 1 14. Now we want the same result with a different recipe. We sing sweet hour of prayer and we probably should sing fleeting moment of prayer. We fret more than we pray. We complain more than we pray. We do carnal things to solve problems more than we pray and trust God to solve them. The Bible tells us, and when they had prayed. the place was shaken where they were assembled." You know, he's talking about a move of God, and in Scripture there are several places where it says there was an earthquake. We find it in Acts 16, we find it at Calvary, and we'll talk about those in a moment. But I won't go into great detail. But what he's really talking about is God shaking things up. And there may be some physical effects. But I have been in circumstances where the Spirit of God blew through. You know, in John 3 and verse 8, talking about the Holy Spirit, he said, the wind bloweth where it listeth. Now here's the sound thereof, and canst not tell whence it cometh, whither it goeth. talking about the moving of the Holy Spirit. You can't see the wind, but you can certainly see and you can certainly feel the impact and the force of the wind, the results that it produces. You know, in 1976, I was in Hammond, Indiana, third week of March at pastor school. And that was my first trip. to pastor Schoenhammen, a fellow who was a preacher, tucked me under his wing, told me to take a week vacation, took me there, and it was a life-changing event. On Thursday, Brother Hiles preached, and it was pretty heavy all week as far as the presence of God, the moving of the spirit, but on Thursday of that meeting in 1976, Brother Hiles got up and preached a sermon titled Fresh Oil. and the Holy Ghost of God settled in on that place. There was a moving, I didn't feel a physical earthquake, a shaking of the building, but it shook my life and I laid on the altar for about four hours after pastor school was over, soaked the carpet with tears, and came away with a totally different perspective. It was a move of God on the people there, and I wasn't alone at that altar. There were hundreds of people that were, I mean, just completely shaken to their foundations, and a transformation of life took place for a bunch of people. But when it says he shook the place, the place was shaken. To shake, the definition of the word means to disturb. And I want you to know, I was disturbed. I was shaken out of my apathy and indifference, my self-confidence and me feeling good about myself. I didn't feel too good. It means to shake up. It means to be moved. I was cut to the heart. Acts 2 and verse 37, when Peter preached on the day of Pentecost, it says they were cut to the heart, verse 37, and they said, men and brethren, what shall we do? And that's when he said, repent and be baptized. I mean, I was looking for answers. I wanted the power of God. I wanted to live in the spirit. I wanted God to keep moving in my life, not visit Hammond for a move, but have the move of God in my life and in my ministry. You know, in Acts 9 verse 6, When Saul of Tarsus was on the road to Damascus to persecute Christians, he had an encounter with the Lord Jesus, and he saw a light above the brightness of the sun. And he heard a voice, and I want you to know he trembled and fell down. And God moved upon him and broke this proud religious man, converted him, not only saved him, but converted him and made him into the apostle Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, and used him in a marvelous way. Just remember, there was an earthquake in Act 16, and you know what preceded the earthquake? Paul and Silas are beaten up, cast into the inner prison. It said they prayed. and sang praises unto God at midnight. And the Bible tells us there was a great earthquake. It shook the prison, shook the foundations of the prison. And it opened the doors and loosened the bands, but it didn't destroy anybody. Nobody died, but I want you to know that jailer sprang in, came trembling, fell down before Paul and Silas and brought them out and said, sirs, What must I do to be saved? You understand when God shakes the place it produces conviction. When God shakes the place it gives credibility to the message. When God shakes the place he cracks open some of this crust that we have on us. We get crusty in this filthy world that we live in and there's so much of that. It's not a matter of intent, it's a matter of where we live. We desperately need a shaking of the place from time to time for God to get rid of some of this stuff that makes us calloused and insensitive. The Bible tells us that of the jailer fell under conviction and he got saved. The Bible tells us at the crucifixion of Jesus, he cried out to the Father and there was an earthquake. And guess what? The centurion said, surely, surely. This was the Son of God. Virtually every time God shakes the place in scripture, people get saved and lives are changed. It happened in every case where Holy Ghost conviction came. There's not always an earthquake, but there's always a shaking of the place. Sometimes the physical earthquake accompanies it, but always the wind blows through. And the force of the wind is recognized and it makes a difference. But you have to be in attendance when it happens. You know, if I wasn't at pastor school in 1976, somebody could have told me what happened and I would have said, that's great. but I have no idea what happened. You understand, a church service is not a sermon, it is an event. And if you miss the event, it is impossible to capture the atmosphere on a tape or imprint. You can get the substance, the wording, but you can't get the moving of the spirit, the shaking of the place, the wind blowing through, the text plays. I'm telling you, we're never gonna have a revival in America, but we have a revival of church attendance, and people get back to the prayer closet. We become praying people. Jesus made it pretty clear that the earmark of the church is supposed to be prayer. My house shall be called the house of prayer. That doesn't mean that there's no preaching that goes on or no soul winning that goes on or no fellowship that goes on. He said those things are all good things, but he said the identifying mark and prayer is not just mouthing words into the air. It is asking and receiving. Matthew 7, 7 says, ask and ye shall receive. Seek and ye shall find. Knock and it shall be opened to you. For everyone that asketh, receiveth. He that seeketh, findeth. To him that knocketh, it shall be opened. So we find numerous instances in Scripture where there was a moving, but it was always preceded by a prayer meeting. It moves the hand of God. Whatever God can do, prayer can do because God answers prayer. It unleashes his mighty power. We live in despair instead of living in prayer. And if I'm gonna be a prayerless person, I'll probably despair of life and despair of everything because everything looks so hopeless. I have a God who is able to do exceeding, abundantly above all that I could ask or think. I have a God that the scripture says nothing shall be impossible with Him. Nothing is too hard for Him to do. But I want you to notice it didn't stop with a shaking of the place. When they had prayed, they were all filled with the Holy Ghost. You know, I'm commanded to be filled with the Spirit. And God only commands me in areas where I have control. In Ephesians 5 and verse 18, the Bible says, and be not drunk with wine where it is excess, but be filled with the Spirit. Now, if I had nothing to do with it, and it was either automatic or something God did at random, He would not have commanded me to be filled with the Spirit. There are some things that are essential to the filling of the Spirit, and I'm gonna have to get on my face in a prayer closet every place we find that move of God. It was the Holy Spirit of God who produced it, And he not only moved the people, he ended up filling them. The Bible says they were filled with the Holy Ghost. That happened in Acts 1 and verse 14. When they had prayed, you come to chapter two, the first four verses, it tells us that the Holy Spirit of God blew through like a mighty wind and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost. You understand the filling of the Holy Ghost is not just for preachers. And the filling of the Holy Ghost is where your power is. In Acts 1 verse 8, but ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you. And ye shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem, all Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the earth. Hey, listen to me, there's a purpose for the power. The power of God is not a play thing and it's not a display thing so I can show off my gift. It is a power to reach the souls of lost men and women for whom Jesus Christ died on the cross. God gives us the power to get the job done, and that power's in the person of the Holy Spirit of God. You know, when it comes to a relationship, there's gotta be a joining of two, and that's salvation. As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God. When I trusted Christ, according to 2 Peter 1 and verse 4, I became partaker of the divine nature and I now have the capacity to escape the corruption that is in the world. But now I have a nature that I did not have. And in 2 Corinthians 5 verse 17, it says, therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Why? Because I have a new nature. All I had before is that fallen nature. Now I have the divine nature, the indwelling Holy Spirit. Romans 8 and verse 9 says, if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. He's not talking about tongues or some expression, he's talking about the indwelling person of the Holy Spirit. That happens when anybody gets born again, they get born of the Spirit of God. But once we become partakers of the divine nature, we're gonna have to yield to that nature. I still have a will, I still have the capacity. And in James four and verse seven, he said, submit yourselves therefore to God, number one. Resist the devil, number two. He will flee from you, number three. You understand if you do not submit to God, you cannot resist the devil. You will never resist God and the devil at the same time. And if you won't yield to the power of God, you will succumb to the power of Satan. It is that simple. When I'm operating in the flesh, I'm operating in my own power and God does not take hostages. So he enables me with my will to resist him and he doesn't force it. But you mark my words. If I'm operating in the flesh, my flesh is no match for the power of Satan. God won't overpower me and my flesh is no match for the power of Satan. The good news is when I'm in submission to God, I can operate in the power of God, which is far superior to the power of Satan. But if you tap the power of God by submission, you get filled by yielding and surrendering yourself to the spirit of God. And there has got to be a time and place when we not only believe the facts and trust Christ as our savior, but I'm going to have to yield to the Holy Spirit of God if I'm going to live in the power of God. I don't know if you've noticed in the book of Acts that frequently it tells us numerous times in the book of Acts they were filled again and they were filled again and they were filled again. You get saved one time and it lasts forever. You don't have to get saved multiple times. But you're gonna have to yield to the Holy Spirit and be filled again and again and again. I wake up as backslidden every morning as I was the morning before. And I really hate to break the news to you, you do too. And if you don't do something about it, it does nothing but get worse as the day wears on. I must get in the prayer closet. The Bible tells us when they had prayed, the place was shaken. And when they had prayed, they were filled with the Holy Ghost. And when they had prayed, they spake the word of God with boldness. You know, when I'm filled with the Holy Ghost, I got news for you. I may not have anything to say, but he has something to say. And all I am is a voice, and that's all any of us are. Power and boldness come from the Holy Spirit of God, and I've already quoted Acts 1, verse 8, where he said, you shall receive power when? After the Holy Ghost has come upon you. You know, in Acts 6, verses 6 and 7, Bible said, they set some before them, before the apostles, and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them, and the word of God increased, and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly, and a great company of priests were obedient to the faith. Even these religious rulers, who previously had been persecuting them, like Paul had prior to his conversion, these people, a great host of them got saved. You know, God can save the hard cases, and one thing that stands out to me in Acts chapter 16, what I believe are three conversion stories in that chapter, there's a woman named Lydia who's a seller of purple, a very wealthy woman, and wealth is a problem. Jesus said, the poorer you have with you always. He said it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to enter heaven. That's not because God is biased against the rich. It's because when people have wealth, the rich man's wealth is his strong city. His confidence is in his wealth. He doesn't need anything. Don't tell me about your religion. I don't have time. Don't want to hear it. But Lydia got saved. Then they encountered a demon-possessed girl. Would you say somebody who had a spirit of divination might be a hard case? Somebody who was involved in occult activity. The Bible tells us this girl got saved and her life was so transformed that she lost both the power and the capacity to engage in spiritism. And that really irritated the people who were making money off of her spiritual affliction. And so they went to their magistrate friend, had Paul and Silas beaten up and cast into prison. Now, jailers, they encountered a jailer and jailers have heard everything. Don't you know that nobody in jail is guilty of anything? They've all been framed. I used to have prison ministry when I was in Louisville, Kentucky. And I'm sure there are people in prison that don't belong there, so please don't get the idea that I think everybody's guilty. But somebody's guilty. Somebody has committed the crime. I promise you 99% of those people that I talked to, they were framed. And they had done no wrong. So I'm sure this jailer was somewhat of a skeptic. He'd heard everything. And the Bible tells us when God shook the place and answered a prayer, after they had praised God, and after they had prayed, and the jailer knew they got an answer, and it shook the place, it got his attention, and he got saved. You know, God can save hard cases and these priests would have been considered hard cases. I've never had as good a success leading religious people to Christ as I have drunks and dope addicts. I mean, a drunk or a dope addict, they know that they're wrong. They know what they're doing is not right. You get religious people and they want to defend their position rather than admit they have a need. They're more worried about defending their heritage because their parents and grandparents were this. Let me explain something to you. Maybe in years gone by, some of these religious movements actually did preach the gospel 100 years ago. And maybe you're not really defending your parents and grandparents. Maybe you're defending what they would be abhorred at if they were alive today. Maybe they truly knew Christ as Savior, and maybe they believed the Bible. Maybe these denominations that have apostatized have changed so dramatically that if they were living today, they couldn't be a part of it. But I assure you, even if they died and lost and went to hell, they don't want you there. And Luke 16, the rich man in hell said, send Lazarus to my father's house. for I fight brethren that he may testify unto them lest they also come into this place of torment. If they love you and they made the mistake of dying lost, they certainly do not want you to make the same mistake and spend an eternity suffering like they're suffering and it will not ease their suffering one bit and you will have no fellowship in hell. It's a place of separation. But verse 32 tells us when they had prayed, they were one heart and one soul. You know, unity is not based on compromise. It's not based on me pleasing you and you pleasing me. The truth is, if we pray, and we're praying according to the will of God, and we allow the principles of the word of God to be the focal point, we will be unified by prayer and the word of God. You know, if you want to tune two instruments, you take a tuning fork and tune the piano. And once you have tuned the piano, You don't tune the organ to the piano, you take the same tuning fork and tune the organ to the same tuning fork. When both instruments are in tune with the same tuning fork, they will without effort be in tune with one another. And the tuning fork of the Christian life is the word of God and prayer. We are rallied together because of the principles of the word of God. And as we pray, God bonds our hearts in prayer. You remember Matthew 18, 18, if any two of you shall agree, it brings agreement. We're crying out to God for a biblical outcome, for God to save sinners, for God to send revival, for God to heal somebody's body, for God to move in our midst, for the power to fall. We are united in prayer, but that prayer is based on scriptural principle that we have been brought together around. You know, unity is the result of being in harmony with God. Real prayer is spiritual, and it's done under the influence of the Holy Spirit. Jude, in verse 20, talks about praying in the Holy Ghost. Pray in, anything I do in the Holy Ghost, I do under his supervision as well as in his power. What the Holy Ghost of God supervises, he empowers. What he does not supervise, he does not empower. He's not going to give me power to perform my will. When I pray according to the will of God and you pray according to the will of God, we will be praying in harmony and we can pray in the Holy Ghost under his supervision and experience his mighty power. You know, in Acts 13 verse three, Bible says, and when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. This is Barnabas and Saul. and God said He had selected them and chosen them and He was going to send them to do a work. This is kind of an ordination service, but they went with prayer and fasting. And the Bible tells us this kind. come afford by nothing but by prayer and fasting. You know, prayer God answers, but there are some things that we're going to have to be more earnest and pay the price in the prayer closet. And honestly, folks, I don't think there's a whole lot of fasting going on in this day and hour. You know, Brother Howells used to say to me, he said, Coral, I never seen anything like you in my life. He said, either you're fasting and eating nothing, or you're eating everything in sight. I told him I only have two modes, fasting and feasting. Right now I'm on my feast. When it's time, I'll get on my fast. But I need that time with God, and that flesh of mine needs to be broken. And when I don't give it what it desires, it breaks that carnal nature some and gives me power with God because I'm more yielded, more broken, more open. But the Bible says when they had prayed, they were one heart, one soul. The unity that God produces in the lives of people. is vital to Christianity. Real prayer is spiritual. It's done under the influence of the Holy Ghost. Romans 8 and verse 27, the Bible said, And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. He's talking about what the Holy Spirit does. He searches the hearts and He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God, not according to my will. You know what that means? That means sometimes the Holy Ghost interferes with my prayers. And He does that to make God's answers better than my prayers. Sometimes I think I know what I need. And I'm telling God what I need. God said, that's not what you need. I'm going to give you what you need. I'm going to supply your need. I'm going to honor your prayer. But the Holy Ghost of God is going to intercede for me according to the will of God, not according to my will. And we're joined to the Lord and to one another in prayer. Matthew 18, 18, he tells us that when the two of us agree, and we're agreeing because we're praying for something that's scripturally sound. So the word of God is the source that tells us what is right and what we should be praying for. And instead of us trying to persuade God to do what we want, we might ought to let him work on our want to. Psalm 37 verse four, delight thyself also in the Lord and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. That does not mean he'll give me everything I want. What it means is if I delight in the Lord, he will impart to me the right desires. Now if I'm praying with a desire that was born in the heart of God and given to me while I delighted in him, you think maybe he can honor that desire and that request. Whatsoever you desire when you pray, believe that you receive it and you shall have it. Whatsoever you desire. Gotta be some desire that better have come from God. You know, in Philippians 4, he's talking to two women that apparently were at odds in this church at Philippi. And I beseech Jodeas and Synthege that they be of the same mind in the Lord. And I entreat thee also, true yoke fellow. He said, get in the yoke. Get in the yoke, and sometimes that yoke is prayer. Sometimes that yoke is service. But I need to get in the yoke. I need to get in harmony with God. And if I get in harmony with God, you get in harmony with God, we won't have to work on getting in harmony with each other. That is the natural outcome, the process. And real prayer is about the Lord's will and his yoke. It unifies people and brings them together. You know, the Bible tells us in verse 32, when they had prayed, it created a generous spirit. It tells us in verse 32 that once they prayed, it said, and the multitude of them that believed were one heart and one soul. Neither said any of them that out of the things which he possessed was his own. They had all things common. Now I think it's important to understand this is not teaching communism and it's not teaching redistribution of wealth by the government. It's talking about people who probably when they got converted and baptized in the city of Jerusalem were disowned by their Jewish family and they were orphans and homeless and everybody came together as a Christian community and a singular local church at Jerusalem and took care of one another. There should be a family atmosphere in a local church. There should be a church family. And all believers should be dear to one another, but there's a special bond with a local church that God describes as not an organization, but an organism of which Christ is the head. And we are members in particular, part of a body of believers. And, you know, we need to be reminded every now and then what Psalm 24 and verse one says, the earth is the Lord's. and the fullness thereof, the world, and they that dwell therein." You know, I dug a pond several years ago, and then I had D.P. come tell me I had to take it out, and I told him, no, my wife likes it. I'm not going to take it out. He looked at me like it was crazy. He said, you don't own that water, and I said, neither do you. I said, the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and they that dwell therein. He looked at me like I was crazier yet. I think he was afraid I was an ax murderer because I believe the Bible. Quoting scripture to some bureaucrat. But none of this stuff, I don't even belong to myself. I'm the property of God by creation and a child of God by redemption. I'm his twice, I am not my own. So he tells us that when these people prayed, they understood that everything they had belonged to God. And they were more concerned about just taking care of the family of God, their local church family, than they were possessing and accumulating and laying up. And it's not wrong for you to have a nest egg. Don't get the idea that I'm trying to convince you that poverty is a sign of spirituality. There are Christians that are in poverty and there are Christians that have means and wealth. Whatever God can trust me with, he'll probably give me. But what I am telling you, that if I'm gonna experience a blessing of God, I better not get possessive because God doesn't bless me so I can be blessed. He blesses me so I can be a blessing. I'm not supposed to be a reservoir of blessing, but a tributary. And the more God can trust me to be a blessing, the more blessing will flow through me to others. Can't trust me with it, he'll flow it through somebody else. 1 Corinthians 6, 19, 20, what know you not, your body's a temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which you have of God, and ye are not your own. For ye are bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. You know, it tells us in verse 33, and when they had prayed, there was great power. That power was to witness, and with great power gave the apostles witness. Now I'm not going to rehash Acts 1 verse 8 where he tells us that power is the source of the Holy Ghost, but the power has a particular purpose, and he said they gave witness with great power. You know, sometimes I think maybe we're just a little too timid and we don't have a boldness because we're not filled with the Spirit of God. We're not filled with the Spirit of God because we don't have a prayer life. The only time we pray is when we got a problem and it's a spare tire. Don't use God like a spare tire. Get God on the line in the morning and shoulder the phone. Pray without ceasing, not always to pray. and not to faint. So the Bible tells us there was great power for witness and Romans 13 verse one tells us there is no power but of God. And any power that exists was ordained of God and it was delegated by God and it was never given by God to give somebody power to violate the will of God. You know, These people were shaken in conviction, filled with the Spirit. They'd obtained a holy boldness. They were unified in one yoke. They surrendered all to the Lord. And now they had a testimony in Acts 6 and verse 10 talking about Stephen. It said they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spake. They were not able to resist. They ran on him, they gnashed on him with their teeth, they ended up stoning him, but they couldn't argue with or resist the spirit. You know, where there's Holy Ghost conviction, there will always be a response. There won't be apathy where there's conviction. Where there's conviction, there will be repentance or rebellion. You'll get a reaction when there is conviction. I'm always worried about people when they're apathetic. They hear the condition they're in and they have a I don't care attitude. That scares me for them because you're nigh unto reprobation if you have not arrived. When you get to the place where you're totally insensitive to the spirit of God and unresponsive to the truth of God, it doesn't even bother you to be told that the scripture says you're wrong. Well, I don't feel convicted. Well, you're in bad shape. Then he tells us in verse 33, and when they had prayed, there was great grace, and the grace is unmerited favor. And according to 1 Peter 4 and verse 10, there is manifold grace. You say, what does that mean? That means many applications, They're saving grace, Ephesians 2, verse 8 and 9. There's growing grace, 1 Peter 3, 18, but growing grace and then the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to him be glory both now and forever. They're serving grace. By the grace of God, I am what I am. This grace that was bestowed upon me was not in vain. He said there was great grace, every kind of grace. They're separating grace. Titus 2, the grace of God that bringeth salvation is the pure in all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness, worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. They're separating grace, they're suffering grace. My grace is sufficient for thee, for in weakness my strength is made perfect. Most gladly, therefore, will I glory in mine infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Hey, the truth is, his grace is sufficient and it is manifold. There's enough grace for whatever it is I have to deal with and getting saved, that's by grace. Growing, that's by grace. Serving, that's by grace. Separating, that's by grace. Suffering and suffering in victory, that's by grace. But when they had prayed, there was great grace, everything they needed at the moment. But they didn't get, you know, you heard me say the other day, you don't get dying grace until it's time to die. You don't get suffering grace until it's time to suffer. You watch somebody else suffer and you say, oh, oh, I couldn't handle that. You're right. Right now you couldn't, because it's not your lot. But if it should be your lot, You'll have the grace you need. Doesn't mean you'll tap it and use it, but it means it's available and you'll have all you need to handle that when it's your lot to handle it. But you don't get it in advance and you don't get it when you don't need it. Bible says in verse 34, and when they had prayed, they lacked nothing. The provision of God through prayer, asking you to receive, seeking you shall find, knocking it should be opened to you. God said he would supply our every need. He's telling us in Acts 4 about a great revival that took place after the initial revival in chapter 2. It was when they were being persecuted and threatened, when there was great need. And he tells us what we can expect when we pray. He said, when they had prayed. You know, last time I was here, I preached a sermon on when you pray. And I talked about, well, when do you pray? And talked about the different times that the scripture tells us to pray. But what he's telling us in this passage is not when to pray, he's telling us what to expect. When they had prayed. So don't expect any of this stuff that happened if you don't have a prayer life. Don't expect unity without prayer. Don't expect power without prayer. Don't expect boldness without prayer. Don't expect spirit fullness without prayer. Don't expect the shaking of the place without prayer. Don't expect revival. Don't expect the provision that God gave these people. Don't expect to have a giving spirit and trust God. All these things were the result of when they had prayed. And when I have prayed, there are some things I can anticipate. And when I have not prayed, it's a pipe dream. for me to anticipate the things that these people obtained from God when they had prayed. If I'm gonna pray, or if I'm gonna have these things, I'm gonna have to pray, and if I'm not gonna pray, I shouldn't anticipate any of these things that they had without prayer, because it's when they had prayed that all these things took place. Wonder tonight how many folks, and the question is, have you prayed? Do you have a legitimate prayer life? Are you in a position where you should be anticipating a shaking of the place, a filling of the spirit, a holy boldness, a power from God, and all the other things that he brought forth for the early church in Jerusalem When they had prayed, were you in any position for that? Wasn't right how many folks say preacher, I'm saved and I know for sure that I'm saved. If you can honestly say that, slip a hand up good and high. Born again and know it, saved, hearted, God bless you, put them back down. I want us to bow our heads for just a moment. Scattered across the crowd may have been somebody who could not raise a hand, somebody raised a hand very hesitantly, God loves you, Christ died for you. But I wonder at night with their heads bowed, is there somebody that'd say, preacher, I do not know.