Acts 9:10-16

1. Intro.
1. these words are the hall-mark of genuine conversion
1. prayer is a surer witness of a man’s conversion than singing or reading the Bible
2. reading the Bible and singing can be done by a lost person
3. when a man really prays we know that he has passed from death unto life
2. true prayer is a sure evidence of spiritual quickening
1. the Holy Spirit has put spiritual life into the heart of the man who prays
2. prayer is the breath of heavenly life
3. prayer is the outcome of that sense of need which arises from the new life
4. a man would not pray if he did not feel that urgent need of blessing that only God can bestow
3. the praying man gives evidence of being at peace with the Lord
1. prayer reveals that the former alienation is past
2. he who prays reveals the faith that saves (trust)
3. all real prayer is the working of faith, either great or small
4. real prayer is the autograph of the Holy Spirit upon the renewed heart
5. in Saul’s case, God points to it as a thing to behold and wonder at
2. this expression is remarkable, for it implies that he had never prayed before
1. this certainly would not have been said of someone who had a habit of praying in former days
2. this is very remarkable, for Saul was a Pharisee and habitually repeated his prayers
1. Pharisees boasted of their regularity, number and length of their prayers
2. Pharisees offered prayers in the temple, synagogue and on the street corners
3. if there was one public fact that nobody would deny, it was that Saul prayed much
3. notice how God revises the judgments of men
1. He who searches the heart & knows what true prayer is, declares that now he begins to pray
2. despite all his former devotion, Saul had never really prayed
3. what others thought of as a great mass of prayer, the Lord here makes nothing of it
4. there are many who have in a formal manner prayed, but have never spiritually prayed
5. the prayer of the Pharisee in the temple had no element of prayer in it - Luke 18:9-12
1. he did not ask for anything, nor confess a need
2. he did not plead a promise, nor seek mercy
3. his formal thanksgiving was stained with proud self-esteem (it was more of a boast)
6. unless our heart speaks to God & our soul comes in contact with the Father, our prayers are of little worth
7. what is real prayer?
1. real prayer must be spiritual
1. such was not the case with Saul’s prayers before this
2. any prayer that is not spiritual, is not prayer - John. 4:24
2. real prayer must be done in Jesus name (Saul never did that in the past)
3. real prayer cannot come from those whose character is contrary to the mind of God
1. Saul was opposed to the Son of God, how could he gain favor with God
2. how can we hope for God’s blessings when we are cursing or mocking God’s people
3. we cannot hope for the blessings of God when we treat anybody wrongly
1. we cannot correct error by violence, nor overcome hate with hate
2. the conquering weapon of the Christian is love
3. a spirit of hate will nullify our prayers
4. if we are living ungodly lives, our prayers are nothing
4. real prayer must be done with humility (not self-righteousness)
3. our text implies that it was a mark of admiration for such a person to pray
1. it is a wonderful thing for a man to really pray, who had been all his life praying in a false way
2. self-righteousness is a very great hindrance in coming to Christ in prayer
1. in Jesus’ day, the publicans and harlots entered the kingdom before the Pharisees
2. it is a miracle of grace that brings a proud Pharisee to plead for mercy
3. it was a hard thing for him to pray because he was rooted in formal devotion & was content with it
1. it is hard to get someone to change, who doesn’t feel the need
2. it is extremely difficult to bring such a one to spiritual prayer
4. our text divinely declares that he did pray, what a wonderful thing
4. our text shows that real prayer is accepted by the Lord (how do we know?)
1. we know that God accepted the prayer because He bears witness to the fact that he did pray
2. we know that God accepted the prayer because He was about to answer it - Luke 9:15-16
3. we are sure that God accepted this prayer because He calls attention to it
1. it is as if God said to the angles and all men everywhere, "behold, he prayeth"
2. we have heard of the seven wonders of the world, but that which strikes God most is a praying man
3. the heart of God is delighted with true prayer

1. is your first prayer yet to be said
2. there are many of whom it could be said, "behold, he never prays"
3. what a terrible thing: a man created by God, but never worships his Creator
4. what a terrible thing: a man daily fed by God’s bounty, and never worships Him
5. a man that lives without prayer has no right to live
6. when we do pray God makes a wonder of it
7. are you praying daily, or is your first prayer yet to be said