Pastor Ray shared…
I’d like to read Acts 4:31. This is after the disciples were loosed and went to be with their own company and entered into corporate prayer. Brother Hagin said the same anointing that Jesus had on this earth is available and comes with corporate prayer, people gathered together in one accord. It says “and when they had prayed…” and that’s the big key, isn’t it? “And when they had prayed, the place in which they were assembled was shaken and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and they continued to speak the Word of God with freedom, boldness, and courage.” Verse 33, “and with great strength and ability and power the apostles delivered their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, in great grace and loving kindness and favor and good will rested richly upon them all.”
Then Acts 6:4. They knew their call. I love that they knew what they were called to do: be in a place of prayer in the Word and not be so brought out of those two key places and into watching over everything. In other words, watching over what was happening in the church. “But we will continue to devote ourselves steadfastly to prayer and the ministry of the Word.” That’s their declaration. They’re determined to do what they’ve been called to do. Verse 5, “and the suggestion pleased the whole assembly and they selected Stephen, a man full of faith, a strong and welcome belief that Jesus is the Messiah and full of and controlled by the Holy Spirit.” That’s a good person to choose. “…and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte (convert) from Antioch. 6 These they presented to the apostles, who after prayer laid their hands on them. 7 And the message of God kept on spreading, and the number of disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem.”
I wanted to point out that there’s no substitute for prayer. We could look over the history of the Church, maybe trace different ministries when they began in a place of prayer. But as they increased, the pastor, the one that was set in office maybe sometimes, they get into more management of the whole place, than staying in their place of the Word and prayer. Prayer cannot be substituted by organization. I like how in Acts 4:31 it says they had freedom, boldness, and courage. Freedom is walking in victory. They were in victory because they stayed in this place of prayer. Boldness would be the anointing of the Holy Ghost on them.
I was talking to someone yesterday about different prayer meetings. So much of our times, it’s just the Holy Ghost doing what needs to be done in that hour. I never have a plan but He has the plan. Our main purpose is to get into His plan. If He wanted us to just sit here and be quiet, then we’d sit here and be quiet. If we use this as an example the way they actually chose other people to do the administration part of the ministry so they could stay in their places they were called to which was prayer and ministry of the Word.
I remember a time in the old building when I came out of the building and saw Pastor Lynne sitting in her car. It was like she was there but she wasn’t there. I knocked on the door and said, “Are you alright?” She said she had been in the garden tomb. I was like, “What?” I liked that. I like the way Pastor Lynne would do that, put herself back in there. As you read the Word, you can get a picture of what we’re to do now.
We’re so thankful that Pastor Mac and Lynne have stuck with the call. They’ve not gone over in somebody else’s call. Over the years, there have been different things tried that maybe worked somewhere else but pretty much over the years everything that we do as a ministry, when it comes from the heart of our pastors, that’s how it works best because they’re set in that office.
Having said all that and thinking about how it was for the disciples and apostles, the way I see this is when things started to get really busy and more and more people were coming in, the temptation was to get over into management of everything that was happening and get a little more out of what they were really called to do. So we know that this ministry is founded on and that’s the place of prayer. We know that that’s how we’re here. We know that’s why we’re here. And the bottom line, of course, is souls. If you travel and look at what other ministries do, there are not that many ministries that have such an emphasis on souls. If you ever have opportunity to just talk to Pastor Nick or Pastor Folu, you know that their main drive is souls. I saw an update that Pastor Nick put out the other day. He said he went to the car wash to wash the ministry van, and three people got born again. So he goes to Mr. Car Wash not just to get his car washed. He’s fishing.
All of us have a call. We all have gifts, things that we’re called to do, say, walk out, pray, and it’s critical that we stay stuck on what He’s called us to do. I can’t do what someone else does. We’re all members of the same body but we’re all united together when we come together for prayer. That’s where the rubber meets the road. We do what we’ve been called to do.
Prayer…
Father, today we come before You with adoration, thanksgiving, and in one accord
We enter in and by faith we come in unity, not just to receive
We come to give, Father
We give You our lives, our families, our money
We magnify who You are in our lives
More, there is more
The book of Acts didn’t stop—it’s on the move in 2016
We pray over the chapter we’re living in today
Watching over the signs
Watching over what we’re called to do
It’s a continuation, a furtherance of the book of Acts
Things were shaken and we declare things will be shaken now
Great numbers in Jesus’ name
Greater manifestations every day—it’ll cause the Church to overcome
Testimonies about what You’re doing today!
We walk out the mandate
It is not too late… it’s right on time
No, you can’t stay there
That’s a limitation and so it has to leave in the name of Jesus
Announcements about what to do—some come by another person, some by a prophetic word
Greater revelation about the assignments
Steps to walk out
Illumination and revelation
It’s a date—we pray over the date!
Supernatural dates
Open, open, open
Make room
A voice, a voice
The house of God
We loose the angels to bring in the resources, go forth in Jesus’ name
It’s coming from every direction
It’s a sinking ship… it’s a launch… deeper ha, ha, ha
A partnership, a parter—ship! Ha, ha, ha,
Come on over—supernatural
A vehicle… transportation
We pray over the feet, over the soil
The rubber… road, ha, ha, ha
A release
Land transfers, buildings that are transferred, so the laborers can go further
It’s a business
It’s the book of Acts in these days
Signs, signs, wonder
Assignments
Portal of the Word, open, open, open
The gifts, oh the gifts, open the gifts, presents in Your presence
Order, order, order
Gifts, making room
Clear, clear, clear
