American Reformation Church Prayer Journal 70
ARC Prayer Meeting:
This past Sunday we had a glorious baptism service. Brother Jason preached on the sacrament of baptism and afterwards we gathered around a pool and baptized four precious saints in the Lord. It was a time of rejoicing for the American Reformation Church.
Each week at our prayer meeting we seek to tie together our Sunday worship service with our Wednesday night prayer meeting. The goal is to create a consistency throughout the week by giving ourselves to prayer and the ministry of God’s Word as the Scripture prescribed (Acts 6:4).
One of the great examples in the Bible that connects prayer to baptism is the conversion of Saul of Tarsus. God not only changed him from being the hunter to the hunted, the persecutor to the one being persecuted, but changed his name from Saul to Paul. He helped turn the world upside down and continues to be powerfully used by God as he is responsible for writing much of the New Testament canon of Holy Writ.
In Acts 22, Paul once again found himself before governmental authorities and hostile mobs for faithfully ministering the Gospel of the Kingdom. The world powers, both religious and civil, were not pleased to be confronted by the notion that there is another King, one called Jesus, and that every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of the Father (Acts 17:7; Philippians 2:10, 11).
At this particular setting, Paul decided to share his powerful testimony as a defense of his actions and for the blessed hope that filled his soul. Paul recounted how a great light came from heaven and he fell to the ground. He then heard a magnificent voice, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? So I answered, Who are You, Lord? And He said to me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting” (Acts 22:7, 8).
Afterwards, the Lord sent Ananias, a devout brother in the Lord, to strengthen, encourage, and to restore Paul’s sight as he was blinded by the light. This is where Paul receives his calling to be the Lord’s witness and to understand how much suffering he would endure for the cause of Christ, His great salvation, and the spreading of His Kingdom in the earth.
It was at this point Ananias encouraged Paul to no longer delay his response to the Lord. It was time to arise, be baptized, wash away his sins, and call upon the name of the Lord (Acts 22:16).
In keeping with his own testimony, Paul later admonished, “For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13). It is here we see the connection between baptism and calling upon the Lord in prayer. Let us press on to this high calling and pray for more conversions, baptisms, and our church to rejoice as we obey and bear good Kingdom fruit in Jesus’ name!
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