Prayer, the Spirit, & the Word - The Way the Lord Carries Out His Work in the Book of Acts

  Prayer, the Spirit, and the word.  That's all--just three things that God uses to carry out His work on earth.  

  I really liked reading chapter 49 of the Life-Study of Acts because it made it crystal clear that God carries out all of His work on earth through our prayer, His Spirit, and the word of God.  That sounded a lot different than what I would naturally think!!

   This chapter touched me because in another week I will be helping distribute at our city's university free Recovery Versions of the New Testament through Bibles for America. I've taken part in this for several years, and if you'd like to read about my experiences last September, you can check out this post:  The Best Things in Life  are Free--Free Study Bible Distribution at WWU.   

Anyway while reading this chapter, these parts on pages 426 and 431 were meaningful to me : 

  If we would have the power and impact in our gospel preaching, we need to pray...  There is no shortcut to having power in preaching the gospel.  We need to pray, we need to learn the Word, and we need to be one spirit with the Lord.  In 1 Corinthians 6:17 Paul says, "He who is joined to the Lord is one spirit."  We need to stand upon this word, claim the fact, and practice it.  We should say, "Lord, this is Your word, I stand on Your word, Lord, and claim the fact that I am one spirit with You.  Lord, I ask You to vindicate Your word that You are truly one with me.  Lord, I intend to speak for You and even to speak You forth.  Lord, vindicate the word and show that You are really one with Your followers."  We all need to pray such a prayer.  This is the prayer that will be heard in the heavens and by all the demons.  If we are one spirit with the Lord in preaching the gospel, we shall have power and impact.  Therefore, let us not trust in eloquence.  Let us trust in prayer, in the Word, and in the Spirit (Lee, Witness. Life-Study of Acts. Anaheim: Living Stream Ministry, 1985, Print). 

The Lord is continually bringing me back to this word--everything comes out of our prayer in oneness with His Spirit standing on His Word!

You can listen to excerpts from the Life Study of Acts along with excellent commentary by tuning into the Life Study of the Bible with Witness Lee.

Other Blogs on the Life Study of Acts:

In the Book of Acts What is Christ Doing in Ascension?
What Does the Early Church Look Like in the Book of Acts?
According to Acts 5:31 What is the Lord Doing as the Ruler of the Earth?
How Did the Lord Spread the Gospel in Acts 8?
What Vision Did Saul Have at His Conversion in Acts 9:3-8?
How Does the Gospel Reach the Gentiles in Acts 10?
How is Acts a Book on God's Move & Prayer?
Seeing God's Move & Satan's Frustration in Acts 14
Prayer, the Spirit, & the Word - The Way the Lord Carries out His Work in the Book of Acts
Seeing God's New Testament Economy in the Book of Acts - Part 1 of 2 
Seeing God's New Testament Economy in the Book of Acts - Part 2 of 2