What Happens When The Church Prays! Prayer Invites Divine Intervention Series

Subject - Effective Fervent Prayer Invites Divine Intervention

Scripture - Acts 12:5-11 “So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. 6 The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. 7 Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists. 8 Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.” And Peter did so. “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,” the angel told him. 9 Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. 10 They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him. 11 Then Peter came to himself and said, “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.”

Introduction: The prayers of righteous people are powerful and effective. “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” This passage motivates believers to cry out to God because He uses our prayers to change the world. Through prayer the impossible is made possible. In Acts 12, “Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.” The graphic picture of Acts 12 is not strange to the Church. The church has always faced opposition. Since its inception, evil forces have been trying to stop the church and even to destroy the church. Each persecution has been overcome, then the church to grow more and become stronger. The New Testament believers learned how to face persecutions and overcome them by fervent prayer. The early church lived with the conviction that “the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” In this lesson, after hearing the news concerning James’ execution, the Church prayed intensely and steadily over Peter’s situation. Their prayers were soon answered. In the early church, the power and presence of God and prayer went together. No amount of preaching, teaching, singing, music, or activity will bring forth the genuine power and presence of the Holy Spirit like the fervent prayers of the righteous. Prayer changes things! It has been said that “prayer changes people and people change things.” One of the most amazing privileges of a believer is his access to God through prayer. We all face trials and tribulations but praying will help us overcome. Why? Because a praying saint can lay down in trouble and wake up to a miracle. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. Jesus taught believers to pray and encouraged them to pray.

“And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;” Lu 21:36

“Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. The House of God is to be called the house of prayer.”

“And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.” Mark 11:17

In this crisis, fervent, sincere, and continual prayer was made to God by the church on Peter's behalf. Peter was trapped in the hands of Herod, and the church united in prayer was determined to wrestle Peter out of Herod’s hand. We learn from this scripture (1) that when the church is plunged into deep perplexities, the only help she can hope for must come unto her in the way of prayer. (2) That when God suffers any of the ministers of the church to fall into the hand of persecutors, it is the church's duty to wrestle with God by prayer in an extraordinary manner on their behalf; "prayer was made without ceasing of the church." (3) That when God intends to bestow any extraordinary mercy upon his church, he stirs up the hearts of his people to pray for it in a very extraordinary manner.

In acts 12, Luke brings our attention back to the Church of Jerusalem. The gentile church at Antioch was now well established and accepted by the church in Jerusalem. Now the persecution of the church in Jerusalem intensifies again. Herod Agrippa was the grand son of Herod the Great who tried Jesus before sending him to Pontius Pilate to be examined again. Herod Agrippa’s uncle was Herod Antipas was the Herod who had John the Baptist beheaded and paraded John’s head on a platter during His birthday party. Now the new Roman Emperor, Caligula made Herod Agrippa king over Judea, Perea, Samaria, and the territories of Galilee. Herod Agrippa’s first challenge was to restore law and order to the region. The Herod family had a lot of enemies in Jerusalem. Herod’s family was hated and despised by the Jews. One of Herod’s goals was to win the favor of the Jewish leadership, the Pharisees, and Sadducees. He was partly Jewish and had a good understanding and a deep respect for Jewish customs. Historians say that Herod attended all the Jewish feasts, rituals and honor their worship services with his presence. Herod decided to move against the Christians to appease the Jewish leaders who opposed him. He thought his action would solidify his position and earn their support. Maybe Caesar would hear a favorable report about his actions in the region. Herod’s efforts to appease the Jewish leaders seem to have a measure of success. The church was their common enemy! Sometimes people get caught up in pleasing men and never consider what pleases God.