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  HEAR THE SOUND OF THE TRUMPET： THE CALL TO WAR
  by Brian Long
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Summary: This sermon emphasizes the power of united, fervent, and
specific intercessory prayer, using examples from the Bible and personal
testimonies to illustrate how faith in God's promises can lead to
miraculous breakthroughs and healing. It highlights the importance of
beholding God, praying without ceasing, and trusting in God's
faithfulness even in the face of challenges and seemingly impossible
situations.

Topics: "Intercessory Prayer", "Faith in God's Promises"
Scripture References: Matthew 15:21, James 5:16, Psalms 41:1, John 11:5, Philippians 4:13

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DESCRIPTION
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This sermon emphasizes the power of united, fervent, and specific
intercessory prayer, using examples from the Bible and personal
testimonies to illustrate how faith in God's promises can lead to
miraculous breakthroughs and healing. It highlights the importance of
beholding God, praying without ceasing, and trusting in God's
faithfulness even in the face of challenges and seemingly impossible
situations.

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CONTENT
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I want to share something that I'm rejoicing about this morning. I
shared with brother Shane through a text message leading up to these
meetings how my daughter had become very very ill and she was in a
hospital room and in near Washington DC where she's at she could not
walk on her own she could not sit up out of bed on her own very ill and
I asked Shane and Al to really go to prayer with me today is Kaylee's
birthday and she said to me dad in the last four days I have felt so
good I don't remember the last time I felt so good as I felt in the last
four days glory be to God amen and I want to thank you for praying and I
told her well there's a church in Leona Valley California called West
Side Christian Fellowship and they know how to pray and there's some of
them that have been praying all night long around the clock they've been
plowing when God is here when God moves today and he's going to move
mightily today let us give him thanks and praise for some faithful
laborers who called upon him all night long and made intercession at an
intercessory prayer amen joy to be here our main text today is going to
come from Acts chapter 12 but and we're going to look at a lot of
scripture today but before we turn there I want you to look at Numbers
chapter 10 Numbers chapter 10 where we'll just see a couple verses and
just to give you a little bit of review from Friday night Saturday
morning Saturday night we've been talking at least the messages that God
has really impressed upon my heart have to do with hearing the sound of
the trumpet many times throughout the scripture God had his watchman
blow the trumpet and it was to sound the alarm and give an alert and
awaken the people and we've been talking about three trumpet blasts
three trumpet calls Friday night the trumpet call was a call of warning
the warning is judgment is coming judgment is coming to this nation but
with that warning call was a mercy call it's time to get right with God
it's time to turn to him with all of our hearts it's time to cry out in
prayer like we've never prayed before and knows but what God would hear
our cries and have mercy forgive our sin heal our land again revive his
church that's the trumpet call the call to warning last night we heard
the trumpet call which was a call to worship the call to worship to
return to true worship and we said that true worshipers they're not
taken up with the place or anything else outside they're taken up with
the person of the Lord Jesus Christ true worshipers fear God they stand
in awe of him they worship him with reverence and all true worshipers
hold nothing back they give their best and their all to God true
worshipers surrender now I'm here to blow the third trumpet this morning
and that trumpet is a call to war it is a war call it is a call a battle
cry a battle cry and how do we primarily go to war this is not how do we
fight it's not joining the MMA it's not joining the army or the Marines
or the Air Force if you try to fight this war that way you will be
destroyed this isn't even this is a more fierce battle a greater war but
God has taught us how to fight and it's time that we as the people of
God stand as soldiers good soldiers of Jesus Christ engage in the battle
stand in the gap and fight as God has called us to fight we've got to
hear the trumpet sound this morning we've got to respond now in Numbers
chapter 10 in verse 8 it says and the sons of Aaron the priest shall
blow with the trumpets and they shall be to you for an ordinance forever
throughout your generations and if you go to war in your land against
the enemy that oppresses you then you shall blow an alarm with the
trumpets and you shall be remembered before the Lord your God and you
shall be saved from your enemies hallelujah Nehemiah chapter 4 verse 20
says it this way whenever you hear the sound of the trumpet sorry
wherever wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet join us there our
God will fight for us isn't that good news wherever you hear the sound
of the trumpet join us there our God will fight for us now how do we how
do we join in the battle how do we fight let's go to Acts chapter 12 and
learn how the early church fought how they went to war Acts chapter 12
beginning in verse 1 I never thought I would have to do this but I'm
having to break down and use glasses Acts chapter 12 verse 1 now about
that time Herod the King stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the
church and he killed James the brother of John with a sword and because
he saw it pleased the Jews he proceeded further to take Peter also then
were the days of unleavened bread and when he had apprehended him he put
him in prison and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep
him intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people Peter
therefore was kept in prison but prayer was made without ceasing of the
church unto God for him and when Herod would have brought him forth the
same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers bound with chains and
the keepers before the door kept the prison and behold the angel of the
Lord came upon him and a light shined in the prison and he smoked Peter
on the side and raised him up saying arise up quickly and his chains
fell off from his hands and the angel said unto him gird thyself and
bind on thy sandals and so he did and he saith unto him cast thy garment
about thee and follow me and he went out and followed him and wist not
that it was true which was done by the angel but thought he saw a vision
when they were passed the first in the second ward they came unto the
iron gate that leadeth unto the city which opened to them of his own
accord and they went out and passed on through the one street and
forthwith the angel departed from him and when Peter was come to himself
he said now I know of a surety that the Lord has sent his angel and has
delivered me out of the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of
the people of the Jews and when he had considered the thing he came to
the house of Mary the mother of John whose surname was Mark where many
were gathered together praying and as Peter knocked at the door of the
gate a damsel name came to him came to hearken named Rhoda and when she
knew Peter's voice she opened not the gate for gladness but ran in and
told how Peter stood before the gate and they said unto her thou art mad
you're crazy they said but she constantly affirmed that it was even so
then said they it is his angel but Peter continued knocking and when
they opened the door and saw him they were astonished they were
astonished let's pray one more time father we thank you for the
anointing of your Holy Spirit we thank you for your incredible amazing
presence here in this place we thank you that not one of us is here by
accident or coincidence but you've drawn us together for such a time as
this you have a very very important word to speak to us Lord I'm asking
you that your strength and power would be made perfect in my total
weakness and that you would proclaim your word in such a way that we
would clearly hear the sound of the trumpet learn how to fight learn how
to go to battle learn how to war your way open our eyes to see you open
our ears to hear you open our heart that we may be captivated by you in
your presence and have your way in this place today let your name be
glorified is our prayer in Jesus name Amen it was a very very dark day
for the early church it looked at this point as if evil were going to
triumph as if evil were going to overcome good the church is under major
satanic attack brother James has just been put to death and now they say
Peter was to be next but for now he's bound in chains and he's being
held in a prison awaiting for his execution it was a dark dark day for
the early church and I wonder my brothers and sisters if we have eyes to
see what a dark dark day it is today in this country I wonder if we have
eyes to see what a critical hour it really is just one glance at the
news today and it seems like evil is triumphing has it ever occurred to
you what your children and grandchildren will face in the future should
there be no awakening no revival Peter is bound in prison yet how many
of our loved ones and our neighbors and how many in this house this
morning are bound by sin being held captive by the devil in prisons of
darkness and addiction how many are chained to this big ball and chain
of drink or dope how many are bound by prescription pills how many today
are enslaved by the sin of lust and pornography addiction how many are
held captive by the devil in prisons of hopelessness depression and
despair how many will soon face death but they're not ready to die and
what will be the end if God's people don't learn how to pray and stand
in the gap I want us to learn from this early church what would their
response be at such a critical hour James their brother has just been
executed Peter their their pastor their brother is in prison Herod's
going to do the same to him do they get real political and start signing
petitions and see if that'll work do they get on the phone and talk
about how gloomy and sad it is and just just talk about it but do
nothing would they just say well everything happens for a reason if God
wants Peter to live you live if God wants Peter to die he'll die and
passively just let things continue as they are do they just turn a deaf
ear on it in a blind eye to what's happening turn on the TV watch
another movie and pretend that all is well do they say sorry Peter I'm
just too busy right now you're on your own thanks be to God this early
church did none of that they did none of that they had one response and
it was their first response not their last resort they said we must go
to prayer let's pray pray pray why because they believed in the covenant
keeping and prayer answering God who had not forgotten them they
believed the Word of God and the promises of God such as Jeremiah 33 3
where God says call unto me and I will answer you and show you great and
mighty things which you do not know promises such as Psalm 50 verse 15
where God says call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver you and
you will glorify me they called a prayer meeting Acts chapter 12 verse 5
Peter therefore was kept in prison if this verse is not underscored in
your Bible brothers and sisters underline it underscore it Peter
therefore was kept in prison but prayer was made without ceasing of the
church unto God for him this is the turning point of the whole chapter
this is where everything changes Peter is kept in prison but the church
starts praying the people of God start calling upon God that's the
turning point that can be the turning point for somebody here this
morning that can be the turning point for a wayward son or daughter to
suddenly come home come to Christ they called a prayer meeting many were
gathered together it says later on in verse 12 praying at the house of
Mary now I want you to notice what kind of prayer it was Peter therefore
was kept in prison but prayer was made without ceasing of the church
unto God for him there's so much here to unpack first I want you to
notice two words prayer was made unto God unto God you say how simple
how I mean how much more obvious can you get of course for all prayer is
made unto God brother Brian but I want to tell you it's not all made
unto God there's a lot of praying that's not focused really upon God at
all there's a lot of praying where we're so consumed with the mountain
that stands in front of us we don't have faith that God can't even move
that mountain there's a lot of praying never goes higher than the
ceiling there's a lot of praying that goes out instead of up wonder what
my brothers and sisters think about my prayer God never hears such a
prayer I want to talk to you today about prayer that is made unto God
and what kind of prayer is that that is prayer that is zeroed in focused
in upon the greatness the glory the majesty the power the authority the
wisdom the faithfulness the love all of the above of our God focused
upon God I want you to hold your place there and turn to Isaiah chapter
40 Isaiah chapter 40 as we look at prayer that is made unto God you want
your prayer life to be transformed brothers and sisters here it is you
want to begin to pray warfare prayer that is full of faith here's where
we begin prayer that is made unto God Isaiah chapter 40 and we'll begin
reading I want you to notice one verse first verse 9 Oh Zion that bring
us good tidings get thee up into the high mountain Oh Jerusalem that
bring us good tidings lift up lift up thy voice with strength lift it up
be not afraid say unto the cities of Judah behold your God behold listen
if you forget everything else I say in this message will you please
never forget these three words behold your God behold your God this is
where prayer our prayer lives are transformed behold your God now what
does it mean let's start with the word behold to behold means to look
intently upon something behold it's not a passive glance to behold means
to fix your eyes on something I think of that photographer who wants to
get the perfect shot and he lifts up his camera and he focuses in on the
object of his picture and he focuses in he zeroes in on it he beholds
what he wants to take a picture of I think of the deer hunter who wants
that that big buck or maybe he needs to meet for his family and he's out
hunting and there it is and he puts that scope up and he zeroes in he's
beholding he's looking intently upon that buck I think of a mother who
hasn't seen her son in a long long time and he comes back from war and
he runs home and she runs out and throws his arms around him and then
pushes him away and grabs his face and looks upon his face she is
beholding his face we are commanded here in Scripture behold your God
behold your God look at him who is this that we are really praying to
who is this that we are really calling upon here behold your God well he
goes on to tell us who he is he is all-powerful he is omnipotent verse
12 of Isaiah 40 who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand
and meted out heaven with the span and comprehended the dust of the
earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in scales and the heels in
a balance notice if you will down to verse 21 God says have you not
known have you not heard hath it not been told you from the beginning
have you not understood from the foundation of the earth it is he that
sits upon the circle of the earth and the inhabitants thereof are as
grasshoppers that stretches out the heavens as a curtain and spreads
them out as as a tent to dwell in verse 25 to whom then will you liken
me or shall I be equal sayeth the Holy One lift up your eyes on high and
behold who has created all these things that brings out their host
starry host by number he calls them all by name because the by the
greatness of his might for that he is strong in power not one is missing
our God is a God who is omnipotent that means he's above all power he
has all authority and God is saying just lift your eyes for a moment
look at all those stars out there how did they get there by one spoken
word from the Almighty God let there be and there were let there be and
there were galaxies millions and billions and trillions of stars and God
knows them all by name stars so big that some of them if they were
hollow our entire solar system could rotate on the inside of them our
God is a big God he is a mighty God and he stretches out the heavens
with the span of his hand he holds the oceans and measures the waters
and the hollow of his hand who can you compare him with he is God beyond
compare he has no equal he is unparalleled there is none like him there
is nothing too difficult for him there is nothing impossible with him he
is God behold him not only is he all-powerful he is all-knowing he is
omniscient he is infinite in wisdom he knows all about you he knows
everything that's happened to you he knows the end from the beginning
nothing has escaped his sight he is all-knowing he says here in verse 13
who has directed the spirit of the Lord who's been his counselor who
taught him with whom took he counsel and who instructed him and taught
him in the path of judgment and taught him knowledge and showed to him
the way of understanding our God is infinite in wisdom all-knowing all-
powerful but someone says okay I believe all that but does he care does
he care and God says in verse 11 he shall feed his flock like a shepherd
he shall gather the lambs with his arm and carry them in his bosom
that's near his heart gently shall he lead those that are with young
verse 27 he says why do you say Oh Jacob why do you complain Oh Israel
that my way is hidden from the Lord and my judgment is passed over from
my God have you not known have you not heard that the everlasting God
the Lord the creator of the ends of the earth he doesn't faint neither
is he weary there's no searching of his understanding and he gives power
to the faint to them that have no might he increases strength does he
care look at Calvary look at the cross look where Jesus died for you
does he care look at Gethsemane where he prayed so fervently before he
drank this cup prayed so fervently that he sweat blood for you he sweat
drops about does he care he cares beyond what I could ever ever describe
to you he loves you with an everlasting love and it's a real love it's a
genuine love it's a love that never fails it's perfect love that casts
out all fear you better believe he cares behold your God and you're
about ready to pray behold your God I wrote some things down and I felt
the Lord wanted me to read them and I want you maybe you might want to
close your eyes or just listen intently as we behold our God as we
behold our God because we're not ready to pray warfare prayer until we
learn to behold him I want to ask you church as I've had to ask myself
is your prayer really being made unto God is it God centered is it God
conscious is it God focused are you really praying unto God are you
really praying to the one in whom and with whom nothing is impossible
are you praying to the one who sits enthroned above the circle of the
earth with heaven as his throne and the earth as his footstool who spoke
spoke in the darkness and said let there be light and light was who
simply spoke and this whole world came into existence mountains trees
oceans valleys who said let there be and he formed the planets and began
to they began to spin in orbit with perfect precision and timing
remember that when you are calling upon the one who brings out the
starry host in their billions one by one and calls them each by name who
utters his voice and the earth melts mountain shake the Red Sea parts
the sun stands still for Joshua water comes from a dry rock manna falls
from heaven are you really praying to the one who says to the ocean tide
you can come this far but no further remember that you are praying to
the very one who created the universe who holds it all together in the
palm of his powerful omnipotent hand who is above all power all
authority principalities rulers dominions kings and kingdoms are you
praying to the one who sits king of the flood because that's who he is
this king of glory he stands in a boat with fearful disciples in the
midst of a violent raging storm and he says peace be still and the wind
stop and the waves die down and the sea becomes like glass who is this
they said that even the wind and the waves obey him this is the one we
call upon in prayer he's the almighty God he is the king of kings he is
the Lord of Lords he is Jesus will you will you cry out to the one who
rebukes a fever and it is gone who touches the leper and he is cleansed
who says to a dead girl telleth I come I and she is raised to life to a
paralyzed boy he says your sins are forgiven now take up your mat and
walk and the boy walks who says to Lazarus come forth and he who'd been
dead four days gets up and walks out of the grave are we praying to this
God the one who heals cancer and all manner of sickness and disease the
one who saves sinners and makes them into saints the one who takes a
murderer and makes him into an apostle the one who opens blind eyes and
and prison doors the one who heals broken hearts and sets captives free
this is the God who sends fire from heaven he awakens nations he revives
churches he transforms cities and when you come to him in prayer are you
aware that you are coming to converse with a God who is so holy that
even angels cover their faces in his presence and though he wraps
himself in light that no man can approach unto and though he has a face
that shines brighter than the sun and that no man on earth can see and
live are you aware that this same God loves you deeply he so loved you
that he gave his only son who shed his blood to cleanse you from all sin
he tore the veil and paved the way into the holy presence of God with
his precious blood so that we brothers and sisters in Christ can now
hear him say come boldly unto my throne of grace having therefore
brethren boldness to enter into the holy of holies by the blood of Jesus
by a new and living way and having a high priest over the house of God
let us draw near with the true heart in full assurance of faith having
our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with
pure water God waits for us to come God waits for us to pray behold your
God behold your God amen you do you will not ever have faith the kind of
faith that pleases God the kind of faith necessary in warfare prayer if
you are looking to yourself to get more faith if you're looking and
gazing upon the problems all the time but you never lift your eyes from
them the only way to have faith brothers and sisters is to is to
understand that faith has a focus and the focus of faith is God himself
the focus of faith is the faithfulness of God we are praying to a God
who does not and cannot lie we are praying to a God who keeps his
promises who keeps his covenants we are praying to a God who will never
change he's the same yesterday today and forever he says I the Lord your
God do not change this is the one we call upon is your prayer being made
unto God well what other kind of prayer was it it was specific
intercessory prayer if we go back to Acts chapter 12 and verse 5
specific intercessory prayer it says the prayer was made without ceasing
of the church unto God for him they were praying specifically for Peter
God wants us to be specific in warfare prayer they are praying
specifically for one man and it is beautiful when you begin to pray
specifically to see how specifically God answers one thing one story
comes to mind when I was pastoring in in Boy City we had a Monday night
men's group that guys were getting off drugs and alcohol the Lord was
setting them free some of them were still struggling some of them are
still battling addictions but we met every Monday night and we prayed
for one another and we got into the word of God but there was one man
there named Javier and Javier he hadn't been coming very long but he was
really plugging in and I was so proud of him and and and we all loved
him but the night came when Javier slipped up he sinned he fell he fell
backwards he got drunk and then he went on a drunken binge and then he
started doing dope again and and he was so ashamed about it that he left
his wife and his children and he told her I can't do this anymore I'm
going back to Mexico so he went to Mexico his wife came and told me what
would we do we would do what the early church did I called the prayer
warriors together and I had some sisters there in their 80s and 90s who
knew how to pray and we gathered together and those young men that
gathered with us we gathered together and we begin to pray and I'll
never forget one of the things we prayed we said Lord get a hold of
Javier and don't let him eat and don't let him sleep make him so
convicted the Holy Ghost come upon him so he's so convicted he cannot
sleep and he cannot eat and he comes running back to his family didn't
happen the next day didn't happen the next day but on the third day
Sunday morning I got to the church early and I was in my office looking
out the window before anybody arrived that morning and this man is
walking up the sidewalk like this I didn't recognize him I ran I walked
outside to see who was coming up the sidewalk he looked up Pastor Javier
is that you he came running to me put my arms around him he put his arms
around me I said Javier what happened I fell I sinned I sinned I said
come in we come into the office we sit down I said now tell me what we
have what happened he said I got drunk I started doing drugs again I and
then I left I left my wife I left my chair went all the way back to
Mexico he said hermano for three days I could not eat and I could not
sleep hallelujah specific intercessory prayer that is exactly what we
asked the Lord to do and he came back home and God restored his marriage
and he brought him brought us all back together specific intercessory
prayer there was another time when I felt this is another church but I
felt Lord it seems no one none of us believe that you're the same that
you're the same God nobody has seen a demonstration of your power where
is faith Lord would you do something here for the glory of your name to
show the church that you're the same God who parts the Red Sea who saves
the lost sinner and the Lord put something on my heart asked me asked me
to save the hardest sinner in town and I went before the congregation
Wednesday night prayer meeting and I told them that and I said I want
you all to make a list and you we had little sticky notes we're gonna
put these sticky notes on the inside cover of our Bible you write down
names three four five ten names whoever God puts on your heart well I
know who the number one name on the top of my list Leon Alts Leon Alts
was a big mountain of a man I had encountered him in town every time I
saw him he started cussing the church calling us hypocrites saying I
never stepped church in the foot in that church one time his brother was
the same way one time at a parade I was handing out tracts and sharing
the gospel and he stands over me like this and he says do you realize
what a man my size can do to a man your size and he said and I just
stood never said a word and I said he said I've never stepped foot in
that church he said I said I don't care if you ever step foot in that
church but I do want you to come know my Jesus and he walked away he was
that he was a belligerent man everybody knew him pushed his way around
lived in that town all of his life ruled with an iron fist and when I
said this to the church the word exact words of one deacon you are
wasting your time with Leon Alts another phrase Leon Alts will never get
saved I thought Lord there's your challenge here's an opportunity for
you to glorify your name and I got a few people who would believe with
me and we started praying for the lost and we started praying for him it
didn't happen overnight brothers and sisters it took time fervent
intercessory prayer consistent laying hold of God every week sometimes
every day calling out to the Lord and I'll never forget the day New
Year's Day the offices were closed and I'd gone up to the office to get
a book or something I was up there alone and I was down on my knees at
the shelf and I heard the door open I turned around and this big man is
standing in the door tears going down his face literally physically
shaking Leon he said I need to talk to you and I need help now he was
getting older at this point and I didn't know this but he had gone in
that week for a heart condition and he was going in two days later for a
heart procedure and he said I don't know what happened last night but I
turned over in bed and everything went black and he said I'm not sure
but I didn't die for a little while he said Brian I'm going to hell I'm
going to hell I said sit down preach the gospel to him I said Leon are
you ready he said I begged God if he would let me live through the night
I'd go up on that hill find that preacher and tell him I want to get
right with God he didn't know he didn't have to find the preacher to do
that but he came I said get on your knees and boy I wanted to be hard on
him after all he'd done get on your knees and he gets on his knees I
said I'm not gonna pray for you you pray you call out to Jesus and
trembling and shaking he calls out to Jesus for God to save him for God
to have mercy on his soul confessing his as a sinner then I begin to
help him a little say this pray this and then I prayed over him and that
man got up a saved man and I looked at him and I said hallelujah I said
Leon two things number one everybody in this town knows you they know
they know who you are they know who you've been are you willing to post
it just did he said that means you go out unashamedly and you tell
everybody what Jesus did just did he said I am I said number two and
what I didn't share he and his brother had gotten a fight four years
before this at a poker game and they wouldn't even speak to one another
if one was in the local cafe and the other one came in that one got up
and left I said will you and he said I got to get right with Richard I
said that's exactly what I was gonna say will you he said I don't have a
choice will you he said yes Leon alts leaves that office and goes to his
brother's house I get a call later from his brother's wife brother Brian
you'll never believe what just happened I said I bet I will Leon knocked
on the door Richard thought he wanted to fight I got up Richard comes
the door Leon said Richard I'm here to tell you something I'm not here
for trouble Jesus Christ just saved my soul and it's real Richard I want
to ask you to forgive me for everything I've done to you and I want to
tell you I'm sorry Lona said brother Brian they both hugged each other
God did that he went then the next day I think was Sunday he went to the
Baptist Church which is where I was and he stood up and testified to
everybody about what had happened he didn't stay for the service he left
he went up onto the lighthouse a charismatic church up on the hill
everybody knew him there too preacher knew him and may I say something
yes you may testified to that church told him that the Lord saved his
soul he got right with his brother left that church went down to the
Assembly of God Church down the lower street did the exact same thing
the next I don't remember the time frame exactly it was maybe the next
day or I think it was the next day he was gonna have that heart
procedure his wife is not saved I go in and they've already got him in
the back we're sitting in the waiting room and she says look here this
is his picture this is arteries 100% block this one's 85 this is what
they got to do I said okay and I was praying Lord reveal yourself to her
save her you saved him you can save her and pretty soon the nurse came
back and said we can let two at a time go back before he goes in for the
seat surgery and Dorothy grabs my wrist and says I think the preacher
and I need to go back we go back I said on the way Dorothy I don't
understand everything about healing but somehow I believe that God wants
to heal Leon just to show his power and his glory would you mind if I
prayed over him she said not at all we gather around prayed over him he
just started weeping he never said a word I didn't know anything
happened I left got a call not too long after that the most amazing
thing the doctor's trying to find the clogged arteries and there's no
blockages anywhere that's the truth before God praise be to God so now
Leon makes another round through the town and he literally testifies and
we got it on tape him testifying the Lord saved my soul I got right with
my brother and he healed my heart and he preached that he became a soul
winner another miracle it's better brothers and sisters this is our God
the one we behold we were studying the Bible I said we need to study the
Bible together and we sat down and he added we had another man there I
didn't know this I said Leon would you read such-and-such verse he
looked up at me I said you don't want to read it he said I can't read
never learned to read he said maybe a couple little words but I never
learned to read I said that's okay got him an audio Bible one day I'm in
my study and the guy comes in and he says overjoyed brother Brian you're
never gonna believe this I went up on the hill my truck I've been there
all almost half a day he said I just read Romans 1 2 3 4 you're kidding
me no he said I read it God did that God did that he became one of the
most incredible testimonies in that town and I'd said to the people when
when God saves Leon alts it can be the beginning of revival in this town
and we saw so many there's so many other stories brothers and sisters I
don't tell you that to tell you about any man I tell you that to tell
you about the glory and power of our God behold your God be specific in
prayer now what other kind of prayer was it it was united prayer it was
say it said prayer was made without ceasing of the church it was united
prayer they were in one accord they were praying in agreement the church
that prays together stays together the marriage that the husband and
wife that pray together stay together the family that prays together
stays together and Jesus said my house shall be called a house of prayer
amen this is how we do battle the final thing I want you to notice is
what is that it was fervent prayer therefore Peter was kept in prison
but prayer was made without ceasing without ceasing actinus is the the
word without ceasing letter means stretched out intense continual
fervent it's believed by many scholars and commentaries commentators
that this prayer meeting for Peter lasted nearly a whole week they
prayed and they wouldn't stop praying until the breakthrough came until
God came down James 5 16 says the effectual fervent prayer of a
righteous man availeth much this is prayer that comes from the heart
this is crying out to God with every fiber of your being praying from
our hearts pouring out our hearts before God like water before the face
of the Lord this is praying and not fainting praying and not quitting
praying and not stopping until you hear from God and I think one of the
most glorious examples of this is in Matthew chapter 15 I want you to
look at this scripture Matthew chapter 15 beginning in verse 21 Matthew
15 21 here's a woman who understood this then Jesus went thence and
departed into the coast of Tyre and Sidon and behold a woman of Canaan
came out of the coat the same coast and cried unto him saying have mercy
on me O Lord thou son of David my daughter is grievously vexed with a
devil you talk about a critical need my daughter is demon-possessed the
devil has my daughter have mercy on me Jesus he says O Lord thou son of
David and the most amazing thing happens he answered her not a word how
many of us cry out to God and we don't hear anything and so we stop he
answered her not a word so does she stop praying does he say well I
guess I'll try something else he answered her not a word and then his
disciples came and besought him saying send her away for she cries after
us now I'm praying and not only do I not hear anything from God but his
own disciples are telling me give it up send her away and that happens a
lot why do you keep praying maybe it's God's will he doesn't answer you
does she give up say oh maybe the disciples are right not this woman
this woman has something called tenacity fervent prayer that lays hold
of God and will not let go why wordy she knows you're my only hope my
daughter is demon-possessed and I will not stop fighting I will not lay
down we're not going to go watch a movie sit on the couch my daughter is
demon-possessed where else can I go I will pray verse 24 but he answered
and said I'm not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel
woman I came for the Jews and you're not a Jew whoo how many of us then
would have said okay Lord you didn't come for me and then he goes on to
say or before he says that she came and worshipped him amazing this is
prayer brothers and sisters okay Lord you're not going to answer me your
disciples are telling me to stop praying and now you tell you you say
you're not even come for me I worship you Lord I worship you because
you're worthy whether you answer me or not you are God you are Lord and
I worship you but then she prays again Lord here's this big long
eloquent prayer Lord help me that's it three words Lord but it's coming
from the heart fervency faith this this woman had faith that wouldn't
let go Lord help me I worship you help me Jesus said in verse 26 it is
not meat to take the children's bread and cast it to dogs what is he
doing is he calling her a Gentile dog or is he doing something else is
he testing teaching his disciples that this woman has something that you
know nothing about she's got faith she knows how to pray she will lay
hold of me and my promises and not let go until I answer she says true
Lord but even the dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their master's
table and I believe Jesus answered with a big smile Oh woman when you
see that Oh in the Bible brothers and sisters don't read by it too fast
Oh woman joy must have been coming up out of the heart of Jesus I found
someone who believes me I found someone who will pray and not stop Oh
woman great is your faith be it unto you even as you will and her
daughter was made whole that very hour hallelujah that's our God amen
faith that lays hold of God and won't let go that's what kind of prayer
it is that turns the tide but brothers and sisters where does faith come
from we said it comes from beholding our God but I want to tell you
something else the scripture says faith comes by hearing and hearing by
the Word of God it's not presumption it's saying Lord I've got a need
and you open up his book and you say Lord what do you say about this is
there a promise for me to believe is there a command for me to obey Lord
speak to me faith comes by hearing hearing by the Word of God I'll give
you a quick testimony and we close when our son Luke was diagnosed with
cancer it was it was acute myeloid leukemia and it was as if somebody
punched me in the gut when I heard that news and my wife was hanging on
to my my arm and I remember that later that day going out into the car
and getting along with God and crying out from the depths of my gut and
soul crying out to God because of the news and I remember saying to the
Lord Lord I only know of one of two things you could be saying either
you are saying that you're going to take Luke home to be with you in
heaven he belongs to you he knows you or you're gonna heal him here for
your glory Lord I'm willing to bow my knee and surrender to either one
but you must give me a word you must give me a promise if I don't have a
promise faith comes by hearing hearing by the Word of God if I don't
have a word from you I will never make it if you take him it will crush
me it will devastate me but if you give me a word we'll get through it
with you either way Lord what is it and I prayed and I prayed and I
prayed and the Lord spoke to my heart a verse of scripture this sickness
is not unto death but for the glory of God that the Son of God might be
glorified thereby that was so incredibly real to me I laid hold of it
with both hands Lord come what may we will trust you and we prayed and
the church prayed and it wasn't easy brothers and sisters he didn't get
better he got worse one night my poor wife shattered with fear and
sorrow wakes me up in the middle of the night she says Brian what's
Psalm 41 what's Psalm 41 I'm waking up from a dead sleep I don't know
some pretty what song what does it say I said I don't know let's go read
it she said all night long I keep hearing Psalm 41 Psalm 41 Psalm 41 I
think God wants us to read Psalm 41 so we get up turn the lights on we
open up Psalm 41 neither one of us knew what Psalm 41 said blessed is he
that considereth the poor the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble
the Lord will preserve him and keep him alive and he shall be blessed
upon the earth and thou will not deliver him unto the will of his
enemies the Lord will strengthen him upon his bed of languishing thou
will make all his bed in his sickness with translation we were reading
then said the Lord sustains them on their sick bed and restores them
from their bed of illness I said Lord be merciful unto me heal my soul
for I have sinned against you and by the way we said you got any sin to
confess this is not a time to hide anything let's confess all our sins
let's be let's make sure our hearts are clean verse 5 my enemies speak
evil of me when shall he die and his name perish and if he come to see
me he speak of vanity his heart gathereth iniquity to itself when he
goeth abroad he telleth it all that hate me whisper together against me
against me do they devise my hurt an evil disease they say cleaves fast
unto him and now that he lieth he shall rise up no more that's what the
devil says yea my own familiar friend and whom I trusted which did eat
of my bread has lifted up his heel against me but thou O Lord be
merciful unto me and raise me up that I may requite them by this I know
that you favor me because my enemy does not triumph over me we laid hold
of that it cannot be any more obvious I remember another time I was
reading in John chapter 11 when Lazarus died and the scripture says and
Jesus loved Martha my wife was crying next to my shoulder and I said did
you know your name is in the Bible and not only that listen to what it
says and Jesus loved Martha her name is Martha God was speaking to us
the whole time it got very very difficult and I'll be real brief we
ended up going to st. Jude's Children's Memphis Children's Research
Hospital in Memphis Tennessee and Luke had two bone marrow transplants
this is the second transplant the worst thing that can happen to you in
a bone marrow transplant is to get a fungus if you don't have an immune
system you can fight bacterias and you know some viruses but fungus so
with zero immune system he gets a fungus fungus spore in his lung that
thing starts spreading like a cancer rapidly one day he's writhing in
pain dad I've been shot I've been shot his lung collapsed completely
this lung was full of fungus and collapsed the other one was moving up
every day it was moving up more and more and until he only had a little
small portion of lung that he was living on until the moment came when
there was no more movement left in the lungs it was a little bit
movement they're rushing doing things on him back and forth have him on
oxygen all these things and the head doctor comes down and and they all
come as a team and I knew that wasn't good and he said to my wife and I
if you have any family that wants to see him you better call them now
and Kaylee my oldest daughter and I hit the floor just like you just
like that Oh God I said you promised you promised Lord we will trust you
we cried out right in front of this crying out to God we had scripture
promises Psalm 41 was written on the hospital window with window paint
this sickness show it is not a sickness unto death it was written on
there all these promises we looked up read them God you promised crying
out to him and God in his mercy touched Luke and that lung suddenly he
began to breathe a little more little more little more little by little
he was restored to the day came very soon after that he's shaking
because he's so weak nothing but skin and bone left wants me to get him
up can barely get that out I barely could understand him I help him sit
up he said I want to put my jeans on hadn't had jeans on for so long I
helped him put his jeans jeans on dad I want to walk I said I can do all
things through Christ who strengthens me Luke said I can do all things
through Christ who strengthens me and he stepped off that bed and we
walked out the room and about seven days later we walked out of the
hospital and that was seven years ago and he's married and he's riding
Bronx and he's working on a ranch and he's serving the Lord glory to you
Lord glory be to God glory be to God

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Video: https://sermonindex2.b-cdn.net/Sr3HpXW65uE.mp4
Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/brian-long/hear-the-sound-of-the-trumpet-the-call-to-war/
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