In Acts 9:11 we learn some powerful truths that will help us to pray powerfully and faithfully.

Acts 9:11
“And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,”

Prayer moves the heart of God. He is ever attentive to His children. A father’s ear is tuned to the voice of his children. He can recognize his child’s voice over the noise of a busy store or the clamor of many children playing together at a park. Our Heavenly Father has no trouble recognizing your voice in the midst of this world’s commotion. He loves it when you pray. He longs to hear your voice. He yearns to bear your burdens and fill you with peace. Have confidence that God can hear your prayer! Have confidence that God wields the power to answer your prayer according to His perfect will.

When we pray, our Almighty Father has many options to answer our prayers. In this verse, we see God’s ability to move other people as a direct result of our prayer. Saul of Tarsus had met Jesus on the road to Damascus. He was traveling there to persecute and punish those who believed Jesus. However, God had other plans and introduced Himself to Saul as the glorified Son of God. Saul the persecutor put his faith in Jesus Christ and became Saul the Christian. His name would be changed to Paul later. In this verse, we find Saul blind and confused. He was blinded by the glory of God in his meeting with Jesus. He was confused as what to do next. He had spent years hunting and punishing Christians and now He was one! Furthermore, no one would believe his conversion. Most saw it as a trick to draw out believers only to be imprisoned or killed. Oh, how Saul must have prayed! Helplessness is a powerful ingredient to prevailing prayer. Saul was helpless and alone with no direction or purpose. But He was not truly alone. God heard his prayers. In answer to Saul’s prayer, God moved in the heart of a man named Ananias. God used Ananias to come to Saul’s aid and help him along his Christian Journey. There would be no famous “Apostle Paul” without little known Ananias.
God works in hearts as a result of prayer. God can move in a Christian’s heart to notice and fill a need. God can encourage an unbeliever’s heart such as a government official to act in a certain way as He did with Nebuchadnezzar. God can draw an unbeliever to Himself. Usually, God will not force His will upon another as he allows us to operate with a free will. Nevertheless, God is moving and working in the hearts of mankind every day.
Your prayers are powerful. Did you pray today?

Lessons Learned:
1. Prayer moves the Heart of God.
2. Prayer moves the Hand of God.
3. Prayer can move people.
4. Been attentive to God so He can use you to help people or fill needs at His direction.
5. You may never have an impact like the Apostle Paul, but you can help each individual like Ananias. Only Heaven will reveal the eternal impact of countless people like Ananias.