Lawful Or Unwanted - Right Or Wrong

I want us to return to the beginning of this happening with Peter and bring you what was brought to me in the bright dawn of revelation. Our focus is specifically on Peter and prayer. Remember, Peter is a Jew, converted by Jesus, from Judaism to Christianity. He is not just an ardent follower of Jesus and His ways, but he is one of Jesus’ right-hand men, if you like. He is one of the Three, whom Jesus chose to accompany Him on some most special and intimate times.

The first dawning of truth is that Peter was not praying because he was hungry. He was praying because he still kept the prayer times as is observed by Daniel even, who, three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. Daniel 6: 10b. Peter was extremely proper, lawful and religiously faithful about his ritualistic praying. About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. Acts 10: 9. Noon was a time of prayer. Yes, this is praying that takes place, no matter what. Just as Daniel though he faced death, prayed as usual, so too Peter, though he faced hunger, prayed as usual.

The second dawning comes when God stops Peter’s praying. Note carefully that it is the prayer hour or prayer time and Peter does not neglect prayer. However, it is then that he is struck with a dire human need for food. Interestingly enough, it is in this time of human need when the Lord God makes Himself most visibly present to His servant, when He places him in a spiritual trance. Hear it like this. Peter is in a religious time in prayer, but God puts an end to it all and places Peter in a Spiritual trance of prayer. He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. Acts 10: 10. God uses prayer in whatever way He desires, to achieve His works of prayer in humans.

The third dawning comes when we have our heads, hearts and minds filled with the fact that prayer is not a monologue. If prayer includes talking to God and listening to God, asking God for what we need and God asking us for what He needs, then how is our prayer life really? For example, do I know God asking me for things in my life of prayer with Him? He wanted Peter to go to a Gentile, but what is He asking of you? Prayer is not just communication with God, but it is commitment, a promise He has made with us through Jesus, His Son. If we ask in Jesus' Name, Father God will give us what we ask for. But often, we make ourselves the faithful ones in prayer, doing as Jesus has told us to ask, but Father God does not keep His side of the bargain. O how we are held in utter deceit by the enemy. However, that is for another time. Right now we are seeing how God stops the lawful, daily, ritualistic praying to interject a more alive, meaningful and dynamic time of prayer, divinely orchestrated. Our prayer does not have to be vision engendered for us to know living, active fruitful prayer. God uses whatever and whomever He desires, to come in and stop our mundane, rocking-chair type praying, to prayer that is made mobile in Him.