David Bahn – Reflections

Click here for an audio version of this blog post.

Acts 10:1-16

At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, ² a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. ³ About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.” ⁴ And he stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. ⁵ And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter. ⁶ He is lodging with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.” ⁷ When the angel who spoke to him had departed, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among those who attended him, ⁸ and having related everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

⁹ The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. ¹⁰ And he became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance ¹¹ and saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth. ¹² In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. ¹³ And there came a voice to him: “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” ¹⁴ But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” ¹⁵ And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has made clean, do not call common.” ¹⁶ This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven.

I believe God’s promises about prayer, but I’m not sure I believe in prayer. To say I believe in prayer is too broad. It’s as though prayer itself is something to believe in, as opposed to believing in the One who has promised to hear and answer prayers – albeit conditionally. And that conditionally part is why I don’t like to say I believe in prayer.

The Bible is clear about this: God promises to hear and answer the prayers offered in faith, in Jesus’ name, and from a righteous person praying fervently.

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” – 1 John 5:14

“Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” – Matthew 18:19-20

The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. – James 5:16

So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.  – Luke 11:9-10

And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. – Matthew 6:7

The LORD detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him. – Proverbs 15:8

When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. – James 4:3

If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. – John 15:8

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. – John 15:16

Cornelius’ prayer life is honored here. His whole life apparently aligned with God’s will and commandments. Even though he was a Roman soldier, he was known to have been generous and prayerful. And the angel of God tells him that his prayers have been heard. He will be part of a new wind of the Holy Spirit moving even beyond his home.

Recently our home life group began praying for each other and those we love who we wish were closer to God. Soon after we began such prayer, we began seeing God’s Spirit at work in the lives of these loved ones. It was a clear answer to prayer, and had we not prayed it’s not likely we would have seen such changes.

We’re still praying for these loved ones. Whether it’s for healing, peace of heart, or to be brought back to God, we continue praying because God commands that we pray and promises to hear us when we call on him in Jesus’ name. For such fervent, persistent, faith-filled prayers in Jesus’ name avail before God. I pray fervently because I believe in God’s promises about prayer. Do you?