The Power Of A Praying Church

Acts 12:1-4 King Herod Agrippa I was arresting Christians with the intention of torturing them publicly before they were killed. Christians were being persecuted at an intense level.

This King Herod is the grandson of Herod the Great who ordered the killing of boys under the age of 2 in and around Bethlehem (Matthew 2).

Herod Agrippa I was also the nephew of Herod Antipas, who beheaded John the Baptist (Mark6 Matt.14), who also had a role in the trial of Jesus (Luke 23)

Herod Agrippa II. Paul appears before this Herod in Acts 25-26. The Herod’s were ruthless and cruel.

So, Herod wanting to please the Jews, has Peter arrested during one of their most important festivals but does not want to hold the trial until after the Passover so the Jews can have the pleasure of participating in the trial.

James, the brother of John, was put to death. Peter was the next to be arrested. Herod planned on making a public spectacle of Peter before executing him. He was in prison, guarded by 16 soldiers. We’ll also see he slept between soldiers bound with 2 chains. that’s a little overkill, isn’t it?

(Acts 5)  

So, if Peter’s going to get away it’s going to take an act of God!

Peter was a well-known Christian leader in the Church at this point, so Herod could make his point to a lot of Christians all at once. Things did not look good for Peter or Christians. So, what could they do?

Acts 12:5

Peter was in a crisis. The church responded appropriately – they pray!

If we want to see lives changed and souls save – we must be a Praying Church

• If we want to have an impact in our city – we must be a Praying Church
• If we want to see the Church become what God designed it to be – we must be a Praying Church
• If we want to be the Holy Spirit Headquarters – we must be a Praying Church

So Peter’s in prison/Church in a crisis….Church is earnestly praying…What does God do? A miracle!

Acts 12:6-19

An angel appears and wakes Peter up and the chains fall off his wrists. Just after restoration: John 21:18-19 Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.” ¹⁹ This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”

The angel said get dressed and put on your shoes. Peter followed the angel, they passed the guards and the main gate opened by itself, when they had walked one block the angel left him. What was Peters response: Vs11 “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen.”

Vs12 “..he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying.” This is where the story takes an odd turn.   But there is a lesson to learn

So, Peter is knocking on the door where the church is praying specifically for him. There’s this young lady named Rhoda who hears Peter knocking on the door.

She hears Peter’s voice through the door and gets so excited that she runs back to the other people in the house without opening the door and letting him in.

Here’s the dialogue which took place.

It’s Peter! What? “You out of your mind!” It can’t be him. He’s in prison. I know it’s Peter. It must be his angel! But, it’s Peter! It’s Peter! It’s Peter!

Finally just to shut her up they go and see and guess what! It’s Peter!

And the people were astonished. and Rhoda says, “I told you so!”

Anyway, Peter’s hand is now bleeding from knocking for the past 30 minutes and they finally let him come into the house.

When Peter arrived at Mary’s house they were still praying. They had been up all night long praying for Peter.

I don’t know what they were praying for. We are not told whether they were praying for Peter to be freed from prison, or for him to remain courageous & bold in His faith, or simply for Herod not to kill Peter.

However, I honestly don’t think they were praying for Peter’s release because they were taken completely by surprise when he showed up at the door. They weren’t expecting Peter to be at their door.

“God sometimes uses surprises to show us that He is still in charge.”

God is able! So when you pray, pray with the expectation that God will answer your prayers according to His will.  Ephesians 3:20-21 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, ²¹ to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

We serve a God who can turn Dead Ends into Detours

We serve a God who can take what looks like the End of the Road and turn it into a Bend in the Road

We serve a God who can take a One Way Road and turn it into a Superhighway

We serve a God who is Bigger than our struggles, situations, circumstances and a God who can and will break those chains that have us in bondage!

 James was martyred Matthew 20:22-23 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” “We can,” they answered. ²³ Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. 

The reasons God does such things, or does not do them, are often known only to Him. I do know that James, having graduated to glory, was the more blessed one.

Simply put, it wasn’t time for Peter to go to his heavenly home yet. Until it was time, he was invulnerable. He couldn’t be harmed.

Let’s see what happens to Herod Agrippa I   Acts 12:20-24

The contrast between Herod (who is fighting against God, but didn’t defeat God’s plan) and the church is amazingly clear. Herod believed he had the upper hand against God’s people, but God showed who was really in charge — Herod was judged (“..an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.”), and the church was blessed (“But the word of God continued to spread and flourish”).

This story serves as a challenge for the church to be persistent in prayer. If there ever was a time to be focused and fervent in our prayers it’s now.

Be committed to praying for those who have yet to receive salvation. Pray for the church and those who serve the Lord. Pray for those who are weak, burdened, sick, and hurting who need our prayers. We must be a people of prayer!

*MOSES prayed and God spared Israel from judgment

• JOSHUA prayed and God caused the sun to stand still
• HANNAH prayed and God gave her a baby boy
• ELIJAH prayed and God sent fire down from Heaven
• JONAH prayed and God delivered him out of the belly of the whale
• The thief on the cross prayed and God gave him eternal life
• Someone prayed for you and your Saved Today

Jesus prayed in the garden.  (Matt.26-Luke 22)

We must pray in faith, believing that God is able, while expecting Him to do the impossible. There is nothing we encounter in life that He cannot bring us through.

Are you burdened with cares and struggles today? Have you prayed for the Lord to provide deliverance for your situation? As you prayed, did you believe He would answer your prayer? We are more than conqueror’s, overcomers, but we must have faith. POWER IN A PRAYING CHURCH