“Access To Jesus”
Elyria Church of the Nazarene
Sunday, July 11, 2021
“Access To Jesus”
“What the Church needs today is not more machinery or better, not new organizations or more novel methods, but people whom the Holy Ghost can use— people of prayer, people mighty in prayer.” (E.M. Bounds)
God is looking for people through whom He can do the impossible. What a pity that we plan only the things we can do by ourselves. (A. W. Tozer)
UNSETTLED TIMES…
The New Testament Church knew something about “unsettled times”!
Acts 2, Peter and John taken before the Sadhedrin…threatened and told not to speak the message of Jesus Christ!
The New Testament Church faced ongoing adversity over their faith in and commitment to Jesus Christ!
PRESSING INTO HIS PRESENCE…
Acts 4:23-31 23 On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God.
“Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25 You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:
“‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 26 The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed one.’ 27 Indeed Herod and Pontius
Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28 They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.
FREVENT PRAYER
Raised their voices
Raised their voices…TOGETHER! - United!
Petitioned the Lord
THREE FOLD PRAYER (vs. 29)
CONSIDER THEIR THREATS
ENABLE YOUR SERVANTS TO “SPEAK YOUR WORD” - AND TO DO SO WITH “GREAT BOLDNESS!”
DIVINELY, SUPERNATURALLY INTERVENE!
29 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30 Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
THE POWER OF PRAYER….
31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
Isaiah 65:24 24 Before they call I will answer;
while they are still speaking I will hear.
God moves on the desperate, on the hungry (for Him), on the humble, on the surrendered!!!!
We have access – into His Holy Presence!
Hebrews 4:14-16 14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
(optional)
Joshua 3:5 5 Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.”
“All He has to do is move His Hand!”
(optional)
God will do nothing but in answer to prayer. Whether we think of, or speak to, God, whether we act or suffer for him, all is prayer, when we have no other object than his love, and the desire of pleasing him. Proceed with much prayer, and your way will be made plain. (John Wesley)
Fire is contagious. Maybe we could start with the prayer often used by our founder, “Bring the Glory down, Lord.” Go ahead; try it. Are you okay with that prayer? Or does it feel too old-fashioned? We should be careful not to put God in a container with an expiration date. You can’t take the Holy Spirit seriously and not take the glory of God seriously. When the center is blazing, people are consumed. Void of the fire of the Holy Spirit there is no holiness movement to speak of. (Brian L. Powell)
When we lose the Glory we are gone.
(Phineas F. Bresee)