INTRODUCTION It is in moments of crisis when we feel as if we are standing on a cliff’s edge, that we are able to accurately gauge our fortitude. A crisis can test someone’s mettle and prove them in a way that little else can. But there is something else that crises seem to expose about human nature. When people reach the end of their rope, they instinctively grasp for something to hang on to and more often than not that something is God. Even those who are not generally spiritual or are ambivalent about religion reach out to God when faced with challenges When crisis has stripped us clean of hope we find ourselves turning to prayer in a desperate grab for something solid. On a cool spring afternoon two young men made plans to hike in the mountains close to their grandparents’ home. The young men were cousins who had grown up believing in God. Yet somehow, through the years their faith in God had waned and as they drove to their destination, they found themselves gently poking fun at God and faith in general. They were convinced that faith in God was fast becoming obsolete in the modern world they lived in. They reached their destination, parked their car in the parking lot and headed for the nearby trail. As they did this, they realised two things; first they had no mobile phone reception and second they weren’t dressed for a long hike in the mountains. When they had set off for their walk, they hadn’t really planned to hike the particular trail that they had now chosen. Shrugging off their lack of proper hiking gear the young men decided they would make the quick trip up to the summit and back. They managed to manoeuvre their way up the trail, noticing that their lightweight jackets somehow didn’t protect them from the cooler temperatures closer to the summit. Once they reached the summit they were captivated by the beauty before them and spent some time at the top soaking it all in. When they decided to hike back down the trail the sun was beginning to edge towards the horizon, but they were confident that they could still make it down the mountain trail in time. When they reached a fork in the trail, they realised that the path they had taken to get up the mountain was long and meandering. Checking the position of the sun they realised that they wouldn’t be able to make it back to the parking lot before sunset. When they checked their phones, they realised that they still didn’t have cell phone reception either, which effectively cut off their chances of calling for help if they got stranded on the mountain. They decided to take the second path which was significantly steeper but was also a short cut and would help them to get back to the parking lot quicker. As the sun began to dip closer to the horizon the temperature plummeted, and the wind picked up. As the young men picked their way over the steeper, rougher terrain of the shorter route they began to struggle to keep their balance over some of the rocks and boulders in their path. Then without warning disaster struck! One of the young men lost his footing and began to slide down the cliff edge on the far side of the path. His cousin frantically grabbed for his hand but instead of steadying him he too plummeted over the edge. The cliff face was fairly steep, and the boys began to slide down the incline, desperately trying to grab hold of any kind of foothold or handhold in their path. Finally, one of them managed to grab hold of a rocky outcropping, and the two clung precariously on this narrow perch for what seemed like an eternity. Finally and after a considerable amount of effort, they managed to pull themselves onto a narrow ledge and assess the situation. Below them was a long drop into a river that wound its way through the narrow gorge below. Above them was a cliff face that would be impossible to scale especially considering their lack of proper gear. They were stuck with no way out, the sun sinking fast and no cell phone reception. It was the perfect storm – but on dry land. At that moment both young men decided that it was a good time to pray. They had exhausted every other avenue and there seemed to be no way out. Dangling on the side of that mountain they bowed their heads and prayed, asking God to bail them out of the potential life-threatening situation they were facing. Their prayers were heard, they were amazingly rescued from the mountain, and their story, while true, is also an illustration of what prayer has come to symbolise to many in the world we live in today; a last ditch effort for salvation from an impossible situation when every other feasible method has been tried and failed.  But is prayer just a last resort, a final hurrah we blindly grab for on our way to the bottom? Or is it much more than that? The Bible has countless examples of the potency of prayer, chronicling the true life- changing power it offers to those who are willing to give it a try. For the early church, soon after the time of Christ, prayer was more than a pleasant formality or a last resort in the midst of a tempest. Rather prayer was the heart and soul of the burgeoning community of faith that boldly branched out into the increasingly hostile Roman empire. Prayer was the engine of the church, driving every facet of its operation and infusing it with an energy that was effervescent. So, what was the secret behind the powerful prayer life of the church? How did they pray? And why did they pray and when did they pray? And perhaps most importantly, what did their prayers accomplish? Join us as we take a look at the prayer life of the early church and learn some valuable lessons in the process – lessons that could change your life. THE GREAT COMMISSION When Jesus ascended to heaven, He left His disciples with a parting commission and a powerful promise, “But you shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit has come upon you: and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” [Acts 1:8] Jesus commissioned His disciples to go out into the world as witnesses, sharing the things that they had seen and heard during their time with Him and bringing the good news of salvation to anyone willing to listen. And He promised to empower them for the task ahead. The power of the Holy Spirit was to be like dynamite, exploding across the world, and propelling the fledgling movement forward in an endless wave that would change the globe. But how did the disciples avail themselves of this power? Well, the Bible tells us in Acts 1:14,  “These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication” You see, while the church waited for the outpouring of God’s power, they prayed. Prayer was the heartbeat of this new community. They understood that it was prayer that would bring them into direct contact with all the blessings and power that God had promised to pour upon them. Let’s take a look at some of the key moments in the history of the early church, as recorded in the book of Acts, and let’s delve deeper into how prayer had a profound impact on each of these formative episodes. PENTECOST The most important event in the history of the early church took place on the day of Pentecost, 50 days after Jesus died. Pentecost derives its name from the fifty-day interval between it and the Passover. During the time of Jesus Pentecost was one of three main annual feasts celebrated among the Jews, which required all the men of Israel to congregate in Jerusalem. It was also called the Feast of Harvest, on account of it marking the close of the harvest in Judea. Pentecost was also a prime opportunity to share the good news of a crucified and risen Messiah. It was a time when Jews from all over the empire converged on Jerusalem. Every language and people group were represented. But the disciples didn’t spend their time strategising about the launch of their new movement. Instead, they spent the intervening ten days between Jesus’ ascension into heaven, and Pentecost, in prayer. And God answered their prayers in the most miraculous way. He poured out His Holy Spirit on His waiting disciples and empowered them to share the good news of Jesus with a varied and vibrant throng of people in Jerusalem. The first lesson we can glean from the experience of the early church is this: prayer gives us access to the power of the Holy Spirit, and it is this power alone that can provide us with the tools we need to be successful in life. WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT The Bible gives us a glimpse into the work of the Holy Spirit and outlines three main branches of the Holy Spirit’s work. The first area is found in John 16:13. Speaking of the Holy Spirit’s work on our behalf Jesus says; “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth: for He will not speak on His own authority; but whatever He hears He will speak: and He will tell you things to come.”  It is the Holy Spirit that gives us the discernment to strip away falsehood and expose the bare bones of truth. And this is an important gift to have, especially in a world of alternate facts, fake news and post-truth culture. When the power of the Holy Spirit fell upon the disciples on the day of Pentecost, He gave them the power to understand truth and to speak boldly. The Holy Spirit also opened the minds of the listening crowd and helped them to understand the truths that were being spoken. The second branch of the Holy Spirit’s work is described in John 16:8. Referring to the Holy Spirit Jesus says,  “And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment;” The Holy Spirit acts as an inbuilt moral compass, helping us to differentiate between right and wrong and also giving us a sense of the consequences accompanying the choices we make. On the day of Pentecost, it was the Holy Spirit that convicted the listening crowd of their sins. Those who responded to this conviction gave their lives to Jesus and were baptized. The Bible tells us that there were three thousand men who chose this path. It was the convicting power of the Holy Spirit that helped to launch the early church. The third aspect of the Holy Spirit’s work in explained in John 14:16-17, where Jesus says,  “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever; the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him: but you know Him; for He dwells with you, and will be in you.” It is the Holy Spirit who brings comfort in the midst of sorrow and suffering. It is the Holy Spirit who brings comfort in the midst of mourning. For these reasons and many more, the gift of the Holy Spirit was vital to the growth of the early church. And it is for this special gift that the church first prayed.  THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT Their example should prompt us to pray for the same gift, because it is the Holy Spirit that can help us to grow in every aspect of our lives, offering us wisdom, discernment, truth and comfort. As we continue to look at the power of prayer in the life of the early church another important example is that of Peter and Cornelius, found in Acts chapter 10. These prayers, and the actions they prompted, marked a turning point in the mission of the church. Prayer is often like that. It can provide our lives with a complete change of course, taking us places we never would have even contemplated going. And if we’re willing to respond, like Peter did, God is able to use us to bring light to even the darkest places on earth. Cornelius was a Roman Centurion living in the town of Caesarea, an administrative hub in Palestine. The Jewish perception of Gentiles, at that time, was fairly unfavourable. More often than not, gentiles were shunned or looked down on. But Jews during the Roman period had a special hatred for the Roman rulers and, unsurprisingly, the feeling was mutual.  Jews hated Romans because of their cruel and oppressive rule. Romans in turn hated the Jews because of their strange religious beliefs and also for their national pride. Jews believed themselves to be the chosen of God and this rankled Roman pride, especially since the Romans saw themselves as the undisputed overlords of the world. CORNELIUS AND PETER The story of Cornelius and Peter is a story of how prayer and faith are able to break down even the most sturdy barriers and create the unlikeliest bonds of friendship and brotherhood. Cornelius was a man who feared God, and devoted himself to making a difference in the lives of the people around him. He was also a man of prayer. A man who, according to Acts 10:30, was fasting and praying for God’s guidance. In Acts 10:4-5 Cornelius is visited by an angel from heaven who says to him, “Your prayers and your alms are come up for a memorial before God, now send men to Joppa and send for Simon whose surname is Peter.”  Immediately Cornelius obeyed the command and sent messengers to bring Peter to him. Meanwhile in Joppa, Peter was having an encounter of his own. While engaged in prayer on the rooftop of the house where he was staying, Peter was given a vision. In his vision, Peter was shown an open sheet filled with all kinds of unclean animals and he was commanded to rise up and eat them. To this command he responded, “Not so Lord, for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean” To which his heavenly messenger replied, “What God has cleansed, you must not call common.” This sequence was repeated three times until, somewhat puzzled and bemused, Peter brought his time of prayer to a close and went down into the house. When he got there, he found messengers from Cornelius waiting to take him to the home of a man who was not only a gentile, but also a hated Roman. A man whom he should have considered unclean, and not fit for association. Immediately Peter understood the significance of his vision, and he went with the men. When he reached Cornelius’ home, he found a house full of people, eager to hear the word of God. Peter preached to them and the Holy Spirit fell upon all of them and they were converted, immediately accepting the truths and good news they had heard about Jesus. The early church experienced prayer in unique and powerful ways but their experience is within our grasp. We too can have a rich, fulfilling, and meaningful prayer life. One that can not only draw us to the heart of God, but can also give us access to all the blessings God desires to lavish on us. STEPS TO A POWERFUL PRAYER LIFE So how can we cultivate a powerful personal prayer life? Let’s look at ten simple steps that can open a channel of communication between us and God. The first step to effective personal prayer is to talk to God as to a friend. In Isaiah 1:18 God says, “Come now, and let us reason together…” It is one of the most beautiful invitations in the Bible; the God of heaven inviting us to sit down and have an intelligent, two-way conversation with Him. The second step to effective personal prayer is ask God for your needs. It seems simple but sometimes it’s not easy to open our hearts to God, and truly ask him for the needs that are weighing on our heart. Jesus once told a parable, a story about asking God for our needs. In Luke 11:5-6 Jesus says, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight, and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him?’” With this story in mind, Jesus then goes on to say in verse 9 of the same chapter, “And I say to you, ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you.” We need to approach God as a friend and ask Him for what we need, trusting that He not only hears us but will supply our needs in His time and in His way. The third step to effective personal prayer is to believe that God hears our prayers. It is not enough to ask but we must also believe that God hears us. James 1:6 says, “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.” James goes on to caution us in verse 7, “For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord.” You see, according to the Bible, believing that God has heard our prayer is an integral part of having our prayers answered. The fourth step is claiming God’s promises. The word of God not only helps us to understand God’s will for us, it also gives us a glimpse into what God has promised to do for us. Claiming God’s promises strengthens our faith and renews our hope. The fifth step is to pray in the name of Jesus. Speaking of the name of Jesus in Acts 4:12 Peter says, “Nor is there salvation in any other: for there is no other name under heaven given among men, by which we must be saved.” The name of Jesus has the power to save us from sin and death. It has the power to cast out demons and overcome the forces of Satan. It is the most powerful name in the universe and we have access to this power through prayer. The sixth step is setting aside a specific time and place for prayer. In Matthew 6:6 Jesus says, “But when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father which is in the secret place.” Whenever Jesus prayed, He always went to a quiet place, alone and spent time talking to His Father. This example holds true throughout the Bible. Men and women of faith spent time on their knees in a quiet place, alone with God. The seventh step is to get rid of sin in our lives. In Psalms 66:18 the Bible says, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear.” Sin separates us from God, and cherishing sin in our hearts and lives creates a chasm between us and God that makes it impossible for him to hear and answer our prayers. The eighth step is obedience to God’s law. Proverbs 28:9 says, “One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.” God’s law is a reflection of His character, and in order for our prayers to be acceptable to Him our lives need to be in harmony with His law. The ninth step is forgiveness. An important part of being in harmony with God is not only seeking God’s forgiveness for our sins but also learning to forgive those who have sinned against us. Jesus says in Matthew 5:23-24, “Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift” God desires us to be reconciled to those who have wronged us or those we might have wronged, so that we can approach Him unhindered by anger or bitterness. Reconciliation is an important part of an open and clear channel of communication with God. The tenth and final step to effective personal prayer is to ask for God’s will to be done. 1 John 5:14 says, “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” Prayer is a powerful channel of communication that is open to every human being on planet earth. It is an invitation extended to us by the Creator of the universe. An invitation to have open, honest, and unhindered fellowship with Him. SPECIAL OFFER Why not set aside some time every day for prayer? If you would like to experience this kind of communication with God, then I’d like to recommend the free gift we have for all our Incredible Journey viewers today. It’s the booklet, How to Pray. This booklet will share ways to open up communication with God. This booklet is free, I guarantee there are no costs or obligations whatsoever. So, make the most of this wonderful opportunity to receive the free gift we have for you today. Be sure to join us again next week when we will share another of life’s journeys together. Until then, let’s pray to God who hears and answers our prayers. CLOSING PRAYER Dear Heavenly Father, We thank you for the privilege we have in talking to you in prayer. We are so grateful that you love us, and we want a close relationship with you. We want to spend more time getting to know you more closely through prayer and Bible study. Please bless us and draw us closer to you. We ask this in Jesus name, Amen.