Thought on Faith and Prayer – The Stirring of the Holy Spirit

Carter, from the historic Times Square Church in New York City in question that's in your heart how can I make a difference to see the story is different.

Thank you for being with us for a call to the nation with Carter, in the book of acts. There was a Roman citizen named Saul of Tarsus. Although he was zealous for God. He wanted religion on his own terms. He orchestrated persecution to anyone he felt threatened Judaism, but he found himself blind after an appointment with God on his way to Damascus and in today's message Carter will explain how another man named Ananias was used by God to make a difference in this story because of the stirring of the Holy Spirit used car chapter 9, paraphrase it, understand and share some thoughts from with you, we see a type of what you and I are facing today. There was this man called Saul was going to become the apostle Paul and he was in a rage against the testimony of Christ. He didn't mind religion as long as he headed his way. He wanted to craft his own sense of well-being. His own pathway as he sought to do God into eternity.

If that was out and how deep that was in his thinking it was probably there. Quite deep because of his position as a Pharisee, but he wanted all his own way and there's a lot of people in our society today were like that. They want God on their terms and it it was a man who could not be reasoned with. I mean, he was threatening people.

He was elsewhere in the Scripture tells us he was even torturing some. It was causing them to deny that they knew Christ. He was an enraged man hated the testimony of God. And if there's ever amended you think in society. You can't reach it's a man like that or this every time in history when you think a society can't be reached is when society turns to this kind of behavior or they are vilifying the testimony of Christ think they hate the things of God.

They've crafted their own sense of righteousness in their going out and the purpose is to eradicate to be written. One more time it's happened many times throughout history many places but one more time if people rise up and said we are going to be rid of this Christ, and were going to be rid of those that he uses to convince us that our ways are not right. What I want to talk about is what is my part. If God is going to send an awakening of God is going to allow a moment of mercy to come into such a society. What is my part in all of this. How do I fit.

I feel so small.

I feel so insignificant that I can get it if the preachers make a difference in Arthur's require the consumer some other ministry mechanism would me.

What about me and I'm talking about you and talking for you and asking the question that's in your heart how can I make a difference. You're going to see a story of a man who made a tremendous difference in the kingdom of heaven. This is man called Ananias the Scripture is is like a cycle a player that only appears he just kinda goes across the stage of the Christmas production. That's all you have received it just runs across as part of the crowd. Maybe comes across things. A quick Christmas Carol is gone. You never see him again that's Ananias in the pages of Scripture. But what a profound difference one obedient man makes all the Scripture tells us about him is that God was able to speak to him. The Scripture says it, the Lord came to him in the vision than that really means that he came to him with a it was very clear he made it very clear to him what he wanted to deal with prayer. Ananias had to be a man of prayer and is trying most likely Lord is my life as you do you smell it for the glory make a difference through my life. And then as is praying that prayer.

Suddenly, God speaks to him and says down at this particular street in this house is a man called Saul of Tarsus and I want you to go and lay your hands on him that he might receive his sight. I want you to pray for him and I want to believe that his present blindness will be taken away that God will give him vision and site for the future.

Ananias was dumbfounded. Lord, I've heard how many reports about this man and all the harm is done and how he hates the people of God, and he has authority from the chief priests to bind all the call on your name is like as if you're here the sanctuary one day soon change that to go to work and there's somebody in your workplace. It's really had a violent temper and is a person you'd rather avoid just the kind of obnoxious person to do this rather not approach them and suddenly you're in prayer all Lord is my light for your glory Tuesday night and suddenly the Lord says go lay hands on brother's own sources to so-and-so of God.

That person got me fired. If I do that. See that's bringing it into the modern situation we face, but what Ananias couldn't have known is that there was already a divine intervention happening in this person's life that's called an awakening in awakening is when God comes himself individual people. He comes, he begins to touch them.

Saul of Tarsus had a moment work the scripts is a bright light shone around them, and he began to hear the voice of the real God not the God he was serving with the real God began to speak to him and asked him why he was standing against all the testimony that it set around him to lead him to a place of life. Why are you persecuting me Saul, why are you standing against her fighting against the people live upset around you to point you to eternal life. That's what happened to him on the Damascus Road and you know other people to do work with your people in your neighborhood, your community, they know you're there. They know your Christian look there comes a moment maybe in their despair that suddenly God starts speaking to them.

It happens all the time. The problem is, most of them were not even aware of it and were not aware of it because we don't pray like we should many times we don't go into the prayer closet and prayer is not God use my life for your glory. It's it's Lord, bless me come deliver me. Help me it with its various self-centered when his self-centered God can speak about others but this metadata divine intervention. God was already speaking in his life and I feel in my heart. We are approaching is not right, not already in a moment like that in our society when when God is speaking to people.

People are discouraged, the despairing there enraged or tired.

There there there is sin sick and God is starting to speak and for the first time they're starting to hear his voice in the very first thing that comes out of his heart is what you want me to do in the Lord tells them go into the city and you will be told what to do and takes away his eyesight, and when people are experiencing an awakening. They become aware of how blind they have been God makes Saul physically blind for three days scripts as he didn't eat or drink, but he started to pray and when people are being awakened to the reality of eternal life.

The reality that there is a hell as well as a habit the reality that there's only one way to eternal life and that's through Jesus Christ, the son of God when they're being awakened. What happens to people as they become aware of our line. They have been that their whole course in life has been wrong there thinking has been dark and it's God's mercy that makes them aware of and that's part of it and suddenly God comes to this ordinary person like you and me was praying and says I want you to get up and go and lay your hands on this man little God as thinking as I was meditating on this while we were doing announcements of several years ago after Tuesday night service with a guest speaker and I took him to a restaurant not too far from here, and in that restaurant at the table right at the window was about four or five men and there was one lady I've never heard vile conversation like this in public. Ever I heard a lot of stuff over the years, but never like this. These people were these people were inappropriate in an inappropriate place and they were in a restaurant and what they were talking about that there were going to do after they left, you can only about and the owner of the restaurant came over because he knew as a pastor in the eat, he apologized. He said Pastor I'm so sorry that you have to be in vicinity of hearing this is that all cleaned out. Clear the table for you in the back and move you and as I said, just wait a minute because I was stirred. There was a stirring starting to happen. I know that now I know that stirring of the Holy Spirit in the Lord just told me go up and talk to them so fast include to this day's as if I hadn't seen this. I never would believe it. I got up and walked over to the table and I said I'd like to introduce myself on the pastor of the church just around the corner called Times Square church and they idle exact words and said something like you look like you could use some time in church so I thought maybe that I'd like to invite you to come out and I told Matt services Sunday at 10, three and six in the service on Tuesday night and that the guy with the biggest mouth on the end of the table. The reading file got and let me tell you guys. These guys were not sludges if they turn on the I was in big trouble. I know I have pastor Claude Woodley is a good fighter about, but it was still 513 with the owner, the restaurant would still probably come out on the losing end of this one and the guy with the real big mouth said all this, the guy sitting in front of you is a real big sinner real big city city really needs prayer supplement as it is sold as is a ridiculous pray for right now. I began to pray God show him your love from show him that you died on the cross so that he could be saved. Show him that he doesn't have to live the way he's living that he can have life and you can have it abundantly and pastor Claude and another man were there said when you started praying the whole restaurant drop third utensils and everybody bow their head.

Now the guy at the end of the table.

Then he turned on and started to really really really verbally trashing cursed me out in the restaurant basic I'm up and feed his words, but who do you think you are coming here and stand here and who gave you that blankety-blank authority to do this and what do you think you are in your an idiot than what you doing at this table that he was really agitated and I looked at him and I said I I'm here because God speaks to me and he stirred my heart and he told me that somebody at this table is desperate to know who he is who God is and the guy was trash talking.

We started to cry and he said it's me, it's me, and he was crying, talking, crying.

It was a snotty nose cry, ran to pick up the napkin from the table and put on his face it's me I just have to know if there's a God I have to know who he is and how do you find Mike. I just have to know peoples of the charities a sitdown talk to talk to me. The guy had prayed for so this word and I'm going back to motel.

He got up and he left in a set there for the next 20 minutes or so and laid out the plan of salvation and assume why don't you do it now wanted to do it now open your heart, now give your life to Jesus Christ.

He said I found that he was from England is that I'm gonna go back to my hotel room on the call my wife first because I wanted to know about this and I'm going to do it after I speak to her.

I said you promised me said I promise you I'm good to go to my niece and goodness Jesus Christ and by life to be my Lord and Savior to see my point is simply this one God starts to speak in a society to people in their were not introducing something they don't already know God's already speaking is just always looking for somebody somewhere will just be obedient. Somebody somebody who will just speak somebody will take a chance. Now, do not say in the once in a while it's not going to backfire. It could, but is not worth it. God stirring you to step out of the box and Ananias went his way and he went into the house. I'm sure he was afraid and we are afraid when God asks us to do things that don't fit in with our sense of safety, even when we asked us to do things that are very very different. It's a fearful thing, but he went into the house. He laid his hands on them and said brother Saul and I love God because her brother didn't even know the guy.

He doesn't he doesn't delivered parties. God is how violent and vile. This man is bent, but God says I'm sending you because he is a chosen vessel of mine and so before even praying, causing brother. I love that brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to on the road as you came to sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit and he doesn't even try doesn't have a chance to break as he saying these words as is. Immediately there fell from his eyes that Paul something like scale, and he received his sight at once rose and was baptized.

Literacy he died to his own way of living and turned with all his heart to Christ and from this simple act of faith we have today than greatest apostolate as Everly of the apostle Paul got done at zero preacher God to send an angel to that house. God could have done it on the Damascus road with the point God is trying to make is that he does not do his work without due and without me you could do it all himself. He could grab trust and I think it's all the heaven to send angels the bridge in our place. But that's not what is chosen to do.

He has a body of believers on the earth.

People like you and I and Ananias we we might not be a 15 act play, we might just have a short pass across the state can change history into somebody's life you touch the family dubs the children you touch the grandchildren you touch a holy needed for years to come.

When you type someone life with the power of God want us to pray for courage. Courage, though Jesus did give us the courage to step out of our comfort zone to give us the courage to endure the scorn of the ungodly, to give us the courage to simply we don't have to seek a burden, it will come to us as we seek you, Lord, you will begin to speak and tell us to do something if we will obey you. The miraculous begins to happen.

We are the one link in the chain that still needs to be strengthened if were going to see no and awakening of the miraculous again in our generation to see this another church is filled with men and women crying out to receive God crying out for new vision crying out for a new pathway that only God can set before him the link that has to be in this changes you link is me. I want to encourage you not to be afraid I haven't always surveyed, but sometimes I have and I've regretted it all my life when I was a police officer at a Sgt. one night didn't know very well. I was working inside and I was having to do a lot of paperwork and he was following me around the department and he was talking to me talking to me talking and this never happened before, and I felt the Holy Spirit stir me and say, tell them about Jesus. Tell them about Jesus and I had the chance to do but I was so busy and you always run the risk in these environments it is going backfire on you anyway so it's sometimes good just to find excuse not to do it and God kept convicting me tell him about Jesus. Tell them about Jesus and so finally in my heart is the We working together tomorrow night on his name was Bernie. I'll tell them tomorrow night so I came in the next night and I've been thinking about it throughout the day and I'm I'm going to tell Bernie tonight is working together tonight. Someone tell them about Jesus. So I committed I've started working on those.

Bernie wasn't there and I said hey where's Bernie tonight and my friend said, all having to hurt. He died of a heart attack this morning. I sang at his funeral. There is a hard song ever had to sing and I swore never do that again God moves on me. I will obey.

If I know it's the Holy Spirit. I will obey him.

We have to press through our pride. We don't want to be laughed out with the press through our fear of being mocked with the press through her fear of her own safety. It's late but I'll tell you one more story.

I'm on a train heading back to New Jersey where I lived back then and for whatever reason in the car. They turned the seats to face each other. That day was very awkward.

If you've ever been traveling on the train and that happens you get three people across from you 32 on your side, there's three versus three your knees are about a foot apart and I'm reading this this newspaper that you can find in most stores. And that's just stores, but nothing on two pages are not really reading it. I just don't want to look at anybody and want talk. I'm tired. I don't want to witness your been there.

I just don't. I just am tired I just want to want to read the sports section see was going on.

I love wanted read a couple of front-page stories night. I just want to get home and this during starts again. My heart and right across this two guys beside me and two guys beside the person in front of me in person front of me as a young lady in her 30s. I'm in my 50s this time. And the Lord said, tell her that everything is going to be okay and I said you tell her you are God. I am not I am 50 she's 30 something. There's two guys here in these two guys beside me. I know what they're going to think now I just wanted to know everything is going to be okay and is going to be so credibly awkward after that moment I'm not doing this so I kept trying to read my paper and one thing about God is that if you do love him. He doesn't forget it doesn't go away and he kept telling me tell her everything is going to be okay. I can just imagine my heart the sneers that are going to be on these guys across from her and yeah I just you know is in New York you understand what I'm talking about.

So finally put down my paper.

After fighting with God. Fred on the train stops and I said young lady, Susan, is that I'm a pastor in New York City and I want. I feel God telling me and as I started speaking to guys. I could see the and so I said I feel God telling me to tell you that everything is going to be okay and she bursts of cross on the tears shot from arising versus a crisis affected it's it's it's okay.

Thank you Jesus said I am a young mother.

I've got to I forget on the to get to children home.

My husband I've been diagnosed with cancer and going in for surgery tomorrow and have been sitting your sink. God you got to tell me if I think is going to be okay.

You should've seen the look on the guys faces because it was on only God. God speaks to people and I don't know where that would lead a note comforted her heart and this guys that's a lot to think about and I don't know where it would lead, but I know it would lead nowhere.

If I didn't take the chance that someone prayed going to ask God give us courage, all of us. I think the same struggles that you do. I don't be left at unwanted pure like an idiot. I don't want to going terrestrial lands and some to get punched out when I could be enjoying my lasagna in the back of the restaurant, but I've never known ever, ever know God to lead me in defeat when it's been his voice and I telling you this because I believe is going to be a brother Saul moment in your life that want you to believe with me for the miraculous. I want you to believe that something miraculous is going to happen here. Sometimes you get to see it right on the spot.

Other times it will take a little while longer and you will just become part in it and a link to a chain of people that came into this person's life before the surrendered the lives to God. But it's so important.

You and I learned to obey God. Now and start to walk in the miraculous. Again, God will use us. Each of us for something miraculous to happen in somebody else's life. The message today has been brought to you by Carter Conlon from Times Square church. For more information log onto TSC.NYC that's TSC.NYC plan to be with us next week for a call to the nation with Carter,