Philip Adhikary, Bangladesh
So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.
Acts 12:5
No human power or influence could save Peter. There was no earthly help available—help could only be obtained by way of heaven. Therefore, those in the church committed themselves to earnest and persistent prayer. And God sent an angel, who “struck Peter on the side and woke him up” (v. 7). The angel led him past “the first and second guards and [they] came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it” (v. 10). Peter was freed from the prison.
Perhaps there might be some iron gate in your life, blocking your way. You can’t find any way to get out. Like a caged bird, you often beat against the bars, but instead of helping your situation, you only become more tired and exhausted, and that causes you more heartache.
However, there is something for you to learn, and that is the secret of believing prayer. Then, when you come to the iron gate, it will open as it did for Peter: “by itself.”
It might seem that many of your loved ones have been bound by Satan and imprisoned by him for years, and they are waiting for their gates to be opened. Perhaps they will be set free in Christ when you pray earnestly and fervently to God in faith.
In your prayers, above everything else, beware of limiting God—not only through unbelief, but also by thinking you know exactly what He will do. You must learn to expect the unexpected, beyond all that you ask and think.
So, each time you intercede through prayer, first be quiet and worship God in His glory. Think of what He can do, how He delights in Christ, His Son, and about your place in Him. Then, expect great things. We need to remember that our prayers are God’s opportunities.
Emergencies call for intense prayer. When the person himself becomes the prayer, nothing can resist its touch. For example, the prophet Elijah bowed to the ground on Mount Carmel with his face between his knees, and he became the prayer. His entire being was in touch with God and was aligned with Him against the power of evil. Elijah’s evil enemies could not withstand this kind of prayer in human form—something that is greatly needed today. God is looking for great people like Elijah who will dare to prove the greatness of their God.
“But the church was earnestly praying.” You earnestly pray, and then see what God will do.