Studies by Book
02 Acts 10 09-33 PETER'S VISION 01 Acts 10 09 Prayer and His word
📖 Acts 10:09-33
01 – Fri12Jul2024 – *Prayer and His word* - _Acts 10:09-33_ – PETER’S VISION – _Psalms 25:04-05_
_Acts 10:9 The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, *Peter went up on the housetop to pray*, about the sixth hour._
Cornelius sent his people to Joppa to bring Peter, the very next day after seeing and hearing from the angel of God.
As the men were reaching Joppa, Peter was praying on the housetop. It was noon time. _Psalms 55:17 Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, And He shall hear my voice._
Peter prayed. This was what the apostles did. _Acts 6:4 but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word."_
The Lord Jesus prayed often. _Mark 1:35 Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed._ / _Mark 6:46 And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray._ / _Luke 6:12 Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God._
Prayer and the ministry of the word is our staple spiritual diet. _Ephesians 3:16-19 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be *strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man*, (17) that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, (18) may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— (19) to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be *filled with all the fullness of God*._
It is in prayer and His word that the inner man is renewed. _II Corinthians 4:16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, *yet the inward man is being renewed day by day*._
As we meditate on His word and as we pray, we are seeking the mind of God. We are seeking to know His purposes, for our life needs to be aligned with God. _Psalms 25:4-5 Show me Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths. (5) *Lead me in Your truth and teach me*, For You are the God of my salvation; *On You I wait all the day*._
Prayer and the word is the place where we present all our inadequacies, struggles, doubts, confusions and fears to God. We empty ourselves to Him and there we seek Him to fill us with His presence. _Psalms 61:2 From the end of the earth I will cry to You, *When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I*._
We need those solitary, specific, and set-apart times of prayer and His word. _Isaiah 26:9 With my soul I have desired You in the night, Yes, by my spirit within me I will seek You early; For when Your judgments are in the earth, The inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness._
_Proverbs 4:20-23 My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. (21) Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; (22) For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh. (23) Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life._
*It is in prayer and His word that we can keep our hearts diligent before God. Out of the heart springs the issues of life.*
It will not be superfluous to say that prayer and His word is a discipline that we must park in our daily schedule. This is a basic tenet of Christian discipleship and is non-negotiable. If this core principle is neglected or has become sporadic, then we will soon see appalling and awful circumstances surrounding and tightening their grip on us.
If we do not give ourselves to prayer and His word, the devil is waiting to occupy us with all the gadgets and toys of this world. These trinkets can be very attractive, but they will destroy our souls.
_I Peter 2:11 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul,_
Apostle Paul prayed always, though he had his set apart times of prayer and the word. _Ephesians 6:18 *praying always* with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—_
Praying always is another exercise that all of us must learn. This is where we are filled with His Spirit for we are always rested in the Lord. We are being transformed into the image of Jesus as we pray always in the Spirit.
_II Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord._
It is the life of Jesus that manifests from us as we pray always in the Spirit. _Colossians 3:10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,_
*It was a regular habit for Peter to pray but it was in one such time of prayer that he saw the vision of God.*
```How is your time of prayer and word?```