Prayer positions oneself for sweet encounters with the Lord resulting in immediate impact on behavior, attitudes and beliefs.  An encounter with Jesus can do in an instance what could never be done by man in a lifetime.

In Acts 10, the Lord is breaking down racial barriers that had been in place for generations.  For the church to be what Jesus intends it to be, there can be no discrimination.  We are learning the heart of Jesus for the church in this wonderful chapter of God’s Word.  We are seeing the importance of separating one’s self for the purpose of prayer which makes available the resources of heaven and opens us up to sweet encounters with our Lord.

Peter was on the house top praying when the Lord gave him a vision of all kind of animals coming from heaven on a sheet with His command for Peter to kill and eat.  Peter refused because of the unclean animals, but the Lord showed him three times.  Jesus was showing him that nothing He has made is unclean, including ALL people.  

Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what the vision that he had seen might mean, behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon's house, stood at the gate and called out to ask whether Simon who was called Peter was lodging there. And while Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Behold, three men are looking for you. Rise and go down and accompany them without hesitation, for I have sent them." And Peter went down to the men and said, "I am the one you are looking for. What is the reason for your coming?" And they said, "Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and to hear what you have to say." So he invited them in to be his guests. The next day he rose and went away with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him.
(Act 10:17-23 ESV)

This is a beautiful paragraph of Scripture that records the obedience to direction given through prayer.  Cornelius received instructions through prayer (Acts 10:1-8) and here we see the beginning results to obeying those instructions.  Peter was pondering on the meaning of the instructions he received through prayer, but the Holy Spirit was about to show him the deeper meaning which would require him to let go of traditions and practices that he had held onto entire life. 

Somewhere between his walk from the rooftop to the door, it started to make sense.  As Peter was obedient to the Holy Spirit’s instruction, change percolated in his behavior, attitude and beliefs.  Peter did something that he would not have done before.  It would shatter the way he was raised and go against everything he had been taught from a young child upward.  He invited non Jews, people of a different race and different beliefs, not only into the house with him, but to be his guests for the night! 

Something happened in Peter.  It started when he separated himself from all distractions and went up on the rooftop to pray (Acts 10:9-16).  It continued as he meditated on what he was shown as he prayed.  It happened when he stepped out in obedience to the Holy Spirit; behavior, attitude and beliefs all where changed.

Beloved, as we pray, we will have times of sweet encounters with Jesus.  We will receive instructions and as we obey the instructions, we will have supernatural changes in behavior, attitude and beliefs.  It may shatter the way we were raised and go against everything we have been taught, but it will always line up with Scripture and take us into a deeper love of God that will result in a deeper love of ALL people.  

Click and check out our audio Bible studies available online.

Know that you are loved,

@PastorGreg
Founder
www.LovingGodFellowship.org