"About that
time King Herod laid hands on some from the church to harm them.
He had James, the brother of John, executed with a sword.
When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter too. (This
took place during the feast of Unleavened Bread.) When he
had seized him, he put him in prison, handing him over to four squads of
soldiers to guard him. Herod planned to bring him out for public trial after
the Passover. So Peter was kept in prison, but those in
the church were earnestly praying to God for him. On that
very night before Herod was going to bring him out for trial, Peter was
sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, while guards in front of
the door were keeping watch over the prison. Suddenly an
angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the prison cell. He struck
Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, 'Get up quickly!' And the chains
fell off Peter’s wrists." (Acts 12:1-7)
There
is a kind of prayer that dispatches angels and releases prisoners' chains.
"The
angel said to him, 'Fasten your belt and put on your sandals.' Peter did so.
Then the angel said to him, 'Put on your cloak and follow me.' Peter went out and followed him; he did not realize that what was happening
through the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. After they had passed the first and second guards, they
came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them by itself, and
they went outside and walked down one narrow street, when at once the angel
left him. When Peter came to himself, he said, 'Now I
know for certain that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand
of Herod and from everything the Jewish people were expecting to happen.'" (Acts
12:8-11)
There is a kind of
prayer that God responds to via tangible evidences.
"When Peter realized this, he went to the house of
Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many people had gathered together and were
praying. When he knocked at the door of the outer gate,
a slave girl named Rhoda answered. When she recognized
Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed she did not open the gate, but ran back in
and told them that Peter was standing at the gate. But
they said to her, 'You’ve lost your mind!' But she kept insisting that it was
Peter, and they kept saying, 'It is his angel!' Now
Peter continued knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were
greatly astonished. He motioned to them with his hand to
be quiet and then related how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He
said, 'Tell James and the brothers these things,' and then he left and went to
another place." (Acts 12:12-17)
There is a
kind of prayer that frees us to do the works we are called to do.
A small community of believers gathered to pray
last night at Bronx Bethany Church of the Nazarene. God answered.
Do not doubt, but have faith and believe. God is working on behalf of His people throughout the world. Prayer is the work, and prayer works.
Lord, give
us the grace to pray without ceasing.
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