While He Prayed

0:00You're listening to the Experiencing God Day-by-day podcast brought to you by Black Could Be Ministry's International. October 2nd, while he prayed, Luke 3 v. 21 and 22. When all the people were baptized, Jesus also was baptized. As he was praying, heaven opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in a physical appearance like a dove. The voice came from heaven, you are my beloved son, I take delight in you. The greatest moments in a Christian's life come through prayer. When Jesus prayed, heaven opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him. The Spirit came upon the disciples as they gathered to pray on the day of Pentecost, Acts 1, verses 14, and chapter 2, verse 1.

1:00When the disciples prayed together after Pentecost, their gathering place was shaken, and they were emboldened to proclaim the gospel throughout the city. Acts 4, verse 31. Prayer is not a substitute for hard work. Prayer is the work. God does things in and through our lives by prayer that he does in no other way. As we pray, and as our attention is turned toward God, we become more receptive to aligning our lives with his will. God will not equip us with his power while we are racing off to our next appointment. His Spirit will not empower us if we are oblivious to what he is saying. He requires our complete attention before he will fill us with the powerful presence of his Spirit. If you want to learn how to pray, use Jesus as your model. Jesus did not always receive what he asked for, but his prayers were always heard and always answered. Mark 14, verse 36, Hebrews 5, verse 7.

2:00If you do not sense the Holy Spirit's power in your life, you may not be spending adequate time in prayer. Perhaps you are pursuing your own agenda rather than seeking the Father's will. You may have abandoned the place of prayer before God's answer came. If you will commit yourself to spend sustained time in prayer, asking for God's kingdom on earth, God will work in your life just as he did in the lives of Jesus and his disciples. This podcast is based on the book, Experiencing God Day by Day, by Henry and Richard Blackbeat, published by B&H Publishing Group, Music by Mark Brown.