Title: What Happens When We Pray
Theme: Prayer makes a difference in the life of believers.
Text: Acts 12:1 - 5
Note: Some points are used from Awake My Soul by J. Sidlow Baxter
Opening Scripture
Acts 12:1-5 Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. (2) Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword. (James was considered to be the leader/overseer of the church at the time) (3) And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. (The Jews and Herod had this unique relationship. Although Herod was wicked and prideful as we learn later in the chapter. The Jews relied on him for their life. They were willing to look past the immorality to put food in their belly.) Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread. (4) So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, (four squads of soldiers are four soldiers who guarded him at all times, as we will learn two by his side and maybe two at the door, Herod was truly concerned that Paul would escape. Maybe he had more faith in the power of God than they realized.) intending to bring him before the people after Passover. (5) Peter was therefore kept in prison, but (this tells us that there was more happening in the story than just Peter being thrown into prison, what was that) constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.
Note 1: The Bible does not tell us that the church prayed when James went into prison. What was the result, James was sawn in half. Why didn’t the church pray? Maybe they thought “well it is God’s will, let us see what will happen.” Maybe they didn’t feel the urgency of the moment. I don’t know. I do know they prayed for Peter. Why do we have to wait for tragedy to happen to cause us to pray?
Let me stop right here and tell you we underestimate the power and potential of prayer. I believe it is one of the most underestimated spiritual disciplines. There is so much that happens when we pray.
Note 2: The Bible says they prayed. They didn’t moan and complain. They didn’t fight against the flesh (invade the prison). They didn’t put protest together. They prayed.
Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Let Us Pray
What Happened when they Prayed?
(Acts 12:6) And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison.
First, it brings angels to the rescue (read verse 7).
(Acts 12:7) Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, "Arise quickly!" And his chains fell off his hands. 8 Then the angel said to him, "Gird yourself and tie on your sandals"; and so he did. And he said to him, "Put on your garment and follow me.” 9) So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.
“The angels may not always make themselves visible as that one did to Peter; but in answer to believing prayer heavenly presences are on the spot—not only angels, but the Holy Spirit and our Lord Himself, to rescue souls and repulse the powers of evil.”
God used angels throughout the Old Testament. Defeating armies, wrestling with people, allowing intercession for Sodom and Gomorrah.
Daniel 6:22 “My God sent the angel, and He shut the mouths of the lions.”
Angels ministered to Jesus after his temptation in Matthew 4:11 and in the garden Luke 22:43
Reminder:
1. God directs them, we do not. We can’t tell our assigned angels what to do.
2. We are not to worship angels. They are created beings. We only worship God, the creator of the angels.
Guardian Angels
Does God give us Guardian Angels? I would believe so. They are there for our protection and God’s assignment. We see this in Daniel, Hebrews 1:14, Ps 91:11, 34:7
Second, it looses men from chains (read verse 7).
(Acts 12:7) Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, "Arise quickly!" And his chains fell off his hands.
“It snaps fetters and sets prisoners free. Oh, how Susannah Wesley prayed for her children! And how powerfully were they converted in consequence! Hear again what Charles Wesley sings about his own deliverance from sin’s bondage:
And Can It Be by Charles Wesley
Long my imprisoned spirit lay—
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night,
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray;
I woke: my dungeon flamed with light.
My chains fell off; my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
He Set Me Free by Connie Smith
Once like a bird in prison I dwelt,
no freedom from my sorrow i felt
But Jesus came and listen to me
and glory to God, He set me free
He set me free, yes!
He set me free, and
He broke the bonds of prison for me
I'm glory bound my Jesus to see,
for glory to God, He set me free
Now I am climbing higher each day,
darkness of night has drifted away
My feet are planted on higher ground,
Glory to god I'm homeward bound
Good-bye to sin and things that confound,
not of this world shall turn me around
Daily I'm praying, I'm working too
and glory to God I'm going through
“ What all the science and psychology and philosophy and humanistic religions in the world fail to do, our Lord Jesus can do”. Science tries to answer the question of the physical. Only Christ can answer the spiritual question and set someone free from the hold of sin.”
Romans 6:6 “we are no longer slaves to sin”
John 8:36 ESV So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
1 John 1:9 ESV If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Third, it opens iron-gates (read verse 10).
(Acts 12:10) When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.
“It brings men out of mental and spiritual dungeons. It brings them out into liberty and larger life again. That iron gate which had held Peter inside his prison made escape humanly impossible. But in answer to prayer even that gate swung open under the pull of an invisible hand; and Peter was out! The most impassable barriers give way before earnest, protracted, believing prayer in the name of Jesus. It not only opens iron gates, it penetrates iron “curtains”!
Generational curses. Mental breaks.
Next, it guides men through dark cities.
(Acts 12:10) When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.
See in verse 10 how the prayer-answering angel guided the surprised Peter through the dark part of the city. He put him right on the way to “John Mark’s mother’s house”. How dark can cities be today—not only at nights! Ask Christian businessmen. What problems cities create—not only commercial, but moral! How easy it is to get lost—not just in business, but lost to God! Oh, cities can be dark!—and those who must live and work in them need a guiding, guarding hand from heaven upon them. Prayer can bring this very thing to happen. “
Prayer can intervene in the darkest closed meetings of a city. We may not be in the room, but prayer can be. Change the hearts of leaders.
Brings People Together
(Act 12:11) And when Peter had come to himself, he said, "Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people." 12) So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying. 13) And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14) When she recognized Peter's voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate 15) But they said to her, "You are beside yourself!" Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, "It is his angel." 16) Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. 17) But motioning to them with his hand to keep silent, he declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, "Go, tell these things to James and to the brethren." And he departed and went to another place.
“What joy there was at Peter’s restoration! What a heart-thrilling climax it made to the answering of their prayer when Peter himself joined them at their very prayer-meeting! Well, what happened physically in Acts 12 can still happen, and does still happen, both physically and spiritually in answer to believing prayer. All the way through the account we are seeing the effectuality of prayer in the name of Jesus.”
Two or three are gathered. Importance of Corporate Prayer
Acts 2:42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Matthew 18:19-20, “Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”
Notice it was a prayer meeting. This was more than people just meeting for prayer but prayer was the center part of the meeting. They spent more time praying than talking.
There was a consistency in the Prayer, “they prayed constantly”
But look at Acts 12 again, and see that the praying was earnest and persevering. Peter had been arrested during “the days of unleavened bread”, and imprisoned until “after the Passover” (4) to be executed thereupon. James was already killed, and Peter’s fate seemed hopelessly sealed. Three days, four days, more days, passed in which Heaven seemed deaf to the entreaties of the praying band; but they stuck at it with steady tenacity.
Matthew 7:7-8 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. (8) For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
They were clear about their intentions.
They were praying for James’ release.
James 4:2 Yet you do not have because you do not ask.
NIV You do not have, because you do not ask God.
Conclusion
I want us to spend our closing moments in prayer. Specific prayer. Prayer
(Act 12:18) Then, as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers about what had become of Peter. 19) But when Herod had searched for him and not found him, he examined the guards and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judea to Caesarea, and stayed there.
