12 It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. 2 He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. 3 When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread. 4 After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.
5 So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.
What if you dared to pray earnestly and made a bold request of the Lord, would you expect an answer? Would you even believe it if you were told that the Lord had answered your prayer? The New Testament church was committed to prayer; the book of Acts attests that they were a praying church. They prayed, and the place shook! When a crisis came, they had a prayer meeting.
In Acts 12, persecution breaks out against the church. King Herod Agrippa has the apostle James, the brother of John, put to death. When he sees this pleases the Jews, he has Peter imprisoned and put on death row. While Peter is in prison, the church prays for him. Then the Lord sends an angel, and Peter is miraculously released. He knows where fellow believers will be. So he goes and knocks, but when the believers are told by the servant girl that Peter is at the door, they refuse to believe her. In essence they say, “You’re crazy. Don’t bother us. We’re praying for Peter.”
What irony! The church was awake and praying during the night, but Peter, who was to be executed the next day, was fast asleep. The Lord is able to do more than we ask or imagine. Can you pray believing that the Lord is more than able to answer your prayers? Or will you need to be convinced of the answer when it comes?
As you pray, ask God to help you pray faithfully and with confidence.
