By Vesta Mangun

Acts 5 and 31, And when they had prayed, the Place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. And now that’s what we call the Book of Acts Revival. Does that sound like something you’re interested in?; the Book of Acts Revival? I believe the Book of Acts is a book with no formal ending and there are chapters still being added. We can live a Book of Acts Revival today. Isn’t that good news? I believe that’s real good news.

Our great God is alive and on the throne. (Acts 4:31) And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; they were a11 filled with the Holy Ghost and when God moves, it’s not an accident. When God moves, it causes conditions to change and be met. And, we want to be that people that were supposed to be. And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together. There are two words in that verse that are very beautiful, I think, and one word is `prayed’ and we’ll be talking about prayer. Another word that is mentioned is that word `together’. I think that is one of the most beautiful words in all the New Testament. That word “together”; the Bible speaks of having your heart nit together in love and doing things together and working together.

I believe one of the main things conditioned to start a revival is unity; being in one mind, and in one accord. If there ever was a day we need this thing that’s called unity, it’s now. If there ever was a day we needed togetherness, it’s now, and the devil knows this. That’s why he’s doing his best to cause divisions among us and to start confusion and
consternation and a shattering of the feet of the Lord. But the Bible says in Acts those that heard the word of God on the day of Pentecost, they received the word gladly and obeyed. They continued steadfastly in the apostle’s doctrine and in fellowship, and in among other things.

And I believe we need one another like never before and we need to do all that’s humanly possible to see that there is a Spirit of Unity, one mind, and one accord.

The fingers on my hand, when they are separated and divided and stiff, there is not much good to be accomplished. But when they are yielded and flexible and playable and come together. You’re fit to have something that is useful and can beat down the borders of sin.

There is a strength in unity, and there is a strength in togetherness and we need it especially in the time of revival. Togetherness and agreement go hand and hand. If any two of you agree on Earth as touching any one thing, it shall be done. “Strength in unity: Have your hearts nit together in love.” I believe that those of us in the Kingdom of God,
even though we have our disagreements, and different personalities, should call out to one another from time to time. If when it’s all said and done, we Christians need a certain amount of reliance, God intended for us. Also, God intended for us to roll with the punches and if we take a point to the chin, then we need to get up and brush the dust off our clothes and keep on walking for God anyway.

The best way I know to get a revival spirit is to get along with one another. When we love one another, God’s face will shine on us because we are doing what he wants us to do. That is to love one another having your hearts nit together is the key.

I think that we ought to have our little disagreements and when it’s all said and done, we ought to be able to live for God. Even Peter and Paul had their disagreement and Paul and Silas got angry at each other one time. But yet we read no record of them cursing one another or backsliding over the situation. But somehow when it was all said and done they managed to shake hands and hug one another, go ahead and live for God. And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they had assembled together. we need to be together not only physically but even in the Spirit. If there is division among us mentally this will be a detriment to us. God help us to be in one mind and in one accord so we can see a group of faces on the day of Pentecost. It says when they had prayed, not before, but when they had prayed, the house was shaken. That was a book of Acts Revival.

Some people can’t put two and two together and get four but I can. I believe there is a definite connection between seeking the face of God and Book of Acts Revival and when they had prayed. I believe prayer is the seed bid of Revival. You can have revival without a lot of things but that is one thing that is a definite ingredient.

You can have a revival without testimony. You can have revival without singing, but you can never have revival without prayer. You can have a revival without one prayer everything is anthem without one preacher without him opening his Bible. Now think of that. But you’ll never have revival without prayer.

No wonder the disciples prayed. Lord teach us to pray. They asked the Lord show us how to pray. They realized this was the source and fountainhead of all spiritual blessings. Our lifeline with heaven: pray, praise, and worship. These are the vapors we send up unto God. It’s a part of God’s water cycle. If no vapors go up, then no rain will come back. But if we’ll send up some vapors to the Lord, then he will send some rain back down as white clouds are made.

Revelations chapter 5 verse 8. Notice that these are seen in heaven; this is not on earth but in heaven. “And when he had taken the book, the fourbeasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. ” Now this is in heaven on the altar. Now let’s turn to Revelation 8:3. Now this is a seen in heaven. It says, “And another angel came and stood at the alter, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him incense that he should offer it with the prayers of the saints, upon the golden alter which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the hand.” Do you know what that means? I want you to know prayer is a tremendous thing. It’s a marvelous thing; it’s our lifeline with heaven. Furthermore, I want you to know prayers never die. I
want you to know that if you will do your best to discipline yourself to maintain a prayer life before God, at least a little bit everyday, even after you’re dead and gone, there can still be an influence that you have left that will live on.

There have been people that have lived for God despite adverse circumstances and while they live for God, none of their relatives or immediate family were living for God and they prayed fo that family for years and years. While they have died and gone on, their bodies laid in caskets, knowing they never saw the answer to their prayer. But even
after they were dead and gone and that body laid in that casket and its closed and sealed.

I’m persuaded that, somewhere beyond the blue, on an altar in heaven, a hand was still being raised and a voice was still being lifted up. Years later, even after they were dead and gone, Joel aimed to God. The waters of baptism were troubled and the Holy Spirit was received; speaking in other tongues, simply because prayer never died. There are people in this church that I never got to know because they passed away before I ever got into the church 10 years ago. But yet they still echo on some of your lips even though they are dead and gone. I feel there is an influence that still lives on.

Let me sight several Biblical Examples to ramify my thought. One is motive. Throughout his life time one of his most fervent prayers is Lord show me your Glory. Lord show me your Glory. He prophesied about the Lord. He said a prophet shall the Lord your God raise up liken unto me. And to him shall the people give unto me, and to him shall the people give heed. And prophesied, “Lord show me your word.” But Moses died not seeing it. He saw a visible manifestation of God one time he saw what the Bible called the hinder parts of God. One time but ye never saw the
perfect image of God. A greater man was Moses and the fact remains you know and I know it He died standing on the wrong side of Jordan. The wrong side of Jordan. He should have been on the right side. He should have been in Cannon’s Land. But because of his smighting of the wrong side of Jordon. Well it looks like the Devil got the victory there didn’t it?

For about 15 hundred years it looked like Satan had the victory. In the New Testament in the gospel, we read the story of a full one thousand five hundred years later. fifteen hundred years later on the right side of Jordan. When Jesus was transfigured on the mount of transfiguration with mount favor, guess who showed up with a ring side seat front and centered to see every bit of it. Moses there he is. He was looking at the hinder parts of God. He was looking at the visible image from the invisible God. He was looking to the answer at his very prophecy which he prophesied a half before that. He was looking at the word made flesh dwelling among us he was Abraham’s lamb.

The salvation of God. He should have been prepared before the face of all people prayers never die. My second example would be the prophet, Elisha. The prophet of the mantle, the prophet of the double partition. He sought diligently for a double portion of the spirit Elisha. The prophet of the mantle, the prophet of the double partition. He sought diligently for a double portion of the spirit Elisha rested upon him now Elija. According to the Bible was responsible for seven major miracles in his life time. And they were great miracles well it only stands read now, that if Elisha had the double portion we ought to be able to find two at times 7 or 14 major miracles in this prophets life, but would you believe it when we open our bibles to I Kings and II Kings and read the chapters of the life of the prophet Elisha, when its all said and done and when his body is dead and laid in the grave. There are only 13 miracles we can find. Do to the power and the influence of this man, one short of the double portion and once again the devils in hell and the devils had a good time laughing that he didn’t get the double portion after all.

II Kings chapter 13 tells us about the decease of Elisha. He dies and they bury him in a cave years later the Milobites warred against Israel. And Milobite soldiers was killed and the Esraelites were hot on their trail. They said well we don’t have time for a funeral service. We don’t have time for a formal burial, lets just throw him in this cave over
here. And they didn’t know it but the bones of Elisha was in there. Now it was after he was dead and gone now. And so they took that dead corpse and picked the old body up and they threw it in there. It happened to land on the bones of Elisha. And the Bible said that as soon as that dead corpse touched the bones of the man of God he revived and he came to life. He said get me out of here my bones touched the bones of the man of God. That old prophet had more of God in his dead skeleton than some people got in their live bodies.

Prayers never die. What do you mean he didn’t get the double portion in that double portion was resurrecting power. You see life is uncertain we don’t know how long we are going to live. We may die tomorrow. Life is uncertain we don’t know what lies around the next bend. But we don’t know if we will pray and seek God with all of our hearts even if we do die there will be an influence that will live on. Some where on an alter in heaven along with that
incense that the Angels are offering up. There will be that lifted hand. And the raised voice saying Oh God here my cry. Oh God open an ear and attend unto my supplication and hear these partitions that I lay at thy feet.

Prayers never die. And if we will be faithful sending up those vapors my God will hear and answer and rain will come back down. He will make some bright clouds to come over us. And we will see a cloud burst before the presence of God. If you don’t pray and seek God when you die there will be no influence. Heaven for you there will be nothing for you to live on. You’ll just die and that will be it. If you’re a life of prayer under God much good will be accomplished. Not only while you are alive but after you are dead. Because prayer never dies. We might not be anything special for the Lord but lets be a Prayer warrior. The Lord said among all houses my house will be a house of Prayer. Prayer is always in order. The Lord is coming soon and we want to have oil in our vessels. AMEN!!!!

Transcribed from the sermon entitled “Revival Prayer” by Sis. Vesta Mangun.

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