January 28, 2024 | "Fresh Starts Fervent Prayers: Stories of Prayer" | Rev. Vicki Harrison
9:30 AM - Traditional Service
11:15 AM - Praise Service
Summary:
In the recent sermon, “Stories of Prayer,” part of the “Fresh Starts, Fervent Prayers” series at New Hope, Pastor Vicki Harrison and a panel of guests shared powerful personal testimonies on the transformative impact of prayer. This aligns closely with New Hope’s mission of making more and better followers of Jesus Christ through being ROOTED in God’s Word, RENEWED by the Holy Spirit, and REACHING the world for Jesus Christ.
The sermon highlighted the essence of prayer as a life-changing force. Testimonies ranged from experiences of divine intervention in times of financial struggle, healing from physical and emotional pain, to the profound impact of prayer on personal and professional life decisions. Each story illustrated a deep reliance on God, echoing New Hope’s values of loving Jesus, caring about all people, following God’s guidance, and living out the truth with grace.
The panelists’ experiences reiterated the belief that prayer is not just a ritual but a dynamic conversation with God, capable of altering lives and strengthening faith. In line with New Hope’s belief in the Bible as the source of all truth, scriptures like Mark 11:24 and James 5:13–16 were cited, emphasizing the power and effectiveness of prayer.
As a call-to-action, we encourage you to deepen your prayer life, reflecting on your own ‘Stories of Prayer’. Whether you are facing challenges or celebrating joys, let prayer be your steadfast companion. For further inspiration and guidance, explore our previous sermons in the “Fresh Starts, Fervent Prayers” below.
Listen to and subscribe to the audio-only podcast with your favorite podcasting app below.
More Sermons in this Series
Uncover the essence of authentic prayer with Pastor Dan Parrish and Pastor Lavetta Pope in 'Just Pray', a sermon from 'Fresh Starts, Fervent Prayers', focusing on sincere communication with God.
In his insightful sermon "Effective Prayers," Pastor Roberto Chaple emphasizes the power and significance of prayer in aligning ourselves with God's will. He elucidates that effective prayer is not about attaining what we desire, but about surrendering to God's plan. Through various biblical examples and personal anecdotes, Pastor Chaple illustrates how prayer transforms us, helping us move from self-reliance to complete dependence on God. He also explores the different ways God may respond to our prayers—sometimes with a clear answer, sometimes in silence, and at times with a gentle redirection. This sermon invites us to a deeper understanding of prayer as a journey of trust, surrender, and transformation.
Explore the lifelong journey of prayer with Pastor Vicki Harrison in 'Miraculous Prayer,' a sermon about trust, submission, and God’s power.
Uncover the essence of authentic prayer with Pastor Dan Parrish and Pastor Lavetta Pope in 'Just Pray', a sermon from 'Fresh Starts, Fervent Prayers', focusing on sincere communication with God.
Other Sermons from Pastor Vicki
On Communion Sunday, Rev. Vicki Harrison opens Matthew 26 — the night before the cross, where Jesus takes the oldest meal of God's people and fills it with new meaning. "This is my body… this is my blood of the covenant, poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." The message walks through what actually happens when we come to the Lord's Table: we experience the grace of Jesus, we come together as one body, all people are welcome, and we return to it again and again. It is not a ritual to observe from a distance — it is grace we receive with open hands.
The water was at the front of the room, and one by one people stepped in to say it out loud: I belong to Jesus. Here's what Pastor Vicki Harrison taught about baptism on Sunday — and why the old really is gone.
James 1:19 is one of those verses that's easy to memorize and hard to live: "Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry." In this message from the Words Matter series, Rev. Vicki Harrison pairs that command with James 3:13-18 — where James contrasts earthly wisdom (bitter jealousy, selfish ambition, disorder) with wisdom from above (pure, peaceable, gentle, full of mercy). The result is a conviction not just about the tongue, but about the heart posture underneath it.
James 3 opens with one of the most arresting images in the New Testament: a small rudder steering a great ship. A tiny spark setting an entire forest ablaze. The tongue. In this message from the Words Matter series, Rev. Vicki Harrison opens James 3 to explore why the words we speak are not a minor issue — they reveal the state of our hearts, they wound or they heal, and they cannot be tamed by willpower alone. Only the gospel reaches deep enough.
Amos 9 brings the Let the Lion Roar series to a close with a hard word and a hopeful one: judgment is real, but God is not finished. Next Sunday, Pastor Vicki Harrison opens the final chapter of Amos with a message about rebuilding, restoration, and the kind of renewal that reaches all the way into the future.
Amos 5 confronts a people who have drifted so far from God that their religious activity has become hollow noise. But the prophet doesn't leave them there — he holds out an Escape Plan. This Father's Day, Pastor Vicki Harrison unpacks what it means to seek the Lord and live.
New Hope opens its new series in the book of Amos with a message titled "In Pursuit." Amos begins with God roaring like a lion — not in delight, but in righteous anger over injustice. The big question driving the whole series: does God care about injustice? The answer this Sunday is a clear yes — God is not silent; He is in pursuit.
What can a glass frog, a blobfish, a whale shark, and a platypus teach us about God? More than you'd expect. Pastor Vicki Harrison invited the kids to stay in the main service for a morning full of wild creatures — and three truths from Genesis, Psalms, and Matthew that touch every person in the room.
It's easy to look holy on the outside. Jesus had sharp words for the people who had perfected it. Pastor Vicki Harrison opens Matthew 23 and asks the harder question: what's actually going on inside?
Most of us have the wrong picture of holiness. Pastor Vicki Harrison opens 1 Peter 1:13-16 and shows that being set apart isn't about being religious — it's about looking like your Father.
Discover the heart of true Christianity in Pastor Vicki Harrison's sermon "From Religion to Living Faith," exploring the journey from mere belief to a dynamic, living faith through being born again.