The Habitual Day of Prayer

By Reverend Michael Farias

Jesus gave his disciples many instructions, one of them being,  

What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.

Mt 10:27  ESV

Prayer is two-way communication.  This is something that we have to learn, and the scriptures give us some great lessons on how it should work.   Prayer is much more than petitioning God with our list of wants, needs, and desires.  It is our opportunity to communicate with the creator of the universe, and we should expect a download from God.

As Jesus was preparing to be betrayed, arrested and executed, he asked Peter, James and John to watch and pray with him.  Peter couldn’t bring himself to pray and stay awake.  

Mt. 26:40 ESV  And he (Jesus) came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour?”

Peter was with Jesus daily, and yet he could not pray for even one hour.

But an amazing thing happened in Peter’s life after Jesus left the planet.  We see in Acts chapter 1 that Peter became one who prayed habitually.  There was a problem in the camp, and a real need.  They needed to find a replacement for Judas, the betrayer, who hanged himself.  

Acts 1:14  ESV  All these (Peter included) with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer.  

How is it that the gospel was spread from Jerusalem and the Jews, who had exclusivity, to the Gentile or non-Jewish world?  It was Peter.

Acts 10:9 ESV  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...  

Are you getting this picture?  Peter is praying at noon.  He’s hungry, but he keeps praying. He saw the heavens open.  He was about to get a download from the Lord.

There is great detail given about what he saw.

In verse 15,  And the voice came to him again a second time…  Not only did Peter see, but he heard.  Verse 16 says, This happened three times.  All this during lunchtime?  Yes, yes, and yes.

After this lunchtime revelation, the gospel was preached to the Gentiles for the first time ever.  Specifically, the family of a man named Cornelius heard the word of the Lord.  This is unbelievable stuff - you can’t make it up!  During Peter’s powerful prayer, he received details for what would happen next, and he went to the home of Cornelius.

Acts 10:30  And Cornelius said, “Four days ago, about this hour, I was praying in my house at the ninth hour, (that’s 3pm) and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing 31 and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard…32 Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon who is called Peter.

Like Peter, Cornelius, during prayer, saw and heard and received a download of instruction from the Lord.  

This is a story of two men who prayed, at different times and different locations, and were forever connected because they saw, heard, and acted.  

This kind of prayer changes the world!

What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.

Mt 10:27  ESV