Preparing to Hear the Message of God and Pray Together

 

Apollos

Acts 18:24-28, Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more accurately.  When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers and sisters encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah. 

Apollos was might in scriptures.  He had been instructed in God’s ways and was fervent in spirit.  He was speaking accurately in the things concerning Jesus.  He spoke boldly in the synagogue even though he didn’t know everything.  Then Priscilla and Aquilla heard him and took him aside and explained to him God’s ways more accurately. 

Then Apollos wanted to go to Achaia and Christians encouraged him and helped him by writing to the disciples and when he arrived, he greatly helped those who believed and he demonstrated using the scriptures that Jesus was the Christ, the Savior/Messiah.

Tonight we are meeting together and we all are mighty in scriptures because for many years we have been dedicated to reading the Word of God, meditating on it and using it to worship God and pray.  Although we don’t know everything, with the little we do know, we have been speaking accurately about Jesus to each other and to our family, friends and work colleagues etc.

Tonight we will have a message and I trust that this time that we have taken aside will be used by God to teach us more about His way.  It will be a time to encourage us.

Achaia means grief/trouble and most of the time we want to avoid grief/trouble but as Christians we can’t avoid it, it is part of the journey that God has for us.  Tonight we are going to be like Priscilla and Aquilla and the other Christians who encouraged Apollos.  We will encourage each other tonight through being together, praying together, worshipping together and hearing God’s Word.  This encouragement is vital and will greatly help us to pray for other tonight and will give us the boldness to keep sharing God’s Word.

Let’s begin our night by praising God for His Word and His encouragement to us.  Let’s thank God for each other because we can’t go through grief or trouble without God and each other.

Now let’s pray for God’s Spirit to full us with fervor, encouragement and help us to have a greater understanding of God’s ways so we can pray accordingly.

Grief or trouble can be a temptation for us.  Pain, suffering, tiredness and difficult relationships can all lead us to sin.  Let’s pray that God will help us to overcome temptations.  Let’s take some time now to repent from those times we have fallen into temptation this week and let’s decide to not fall again.  Let’s pray against evil spirits that will try to tempt us tonight.