"So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church." Acts 12:5
Can I ask you a question? I guess I just did! Let me ask you another question. When you pray do you expect anything to happen? When you ask God for something or to do something, do you really expect anything to happen?
You should!
There is this story in the book of Acts where Peter gets thrown into prison, so the church starts praying for his release. Now at this particular time that Peter was in prison, James the brother of John had just been killed. Obviously they had the same plans for Peter. So the church hold an all night prayer meeting and prays for his deliverance. In the middle of the night an angel of the LORD comes and gets Peter out of prison, so Peter runs to the home where the meeting was taking place to tell the people of the church all that God had done.
The funny thing is...at first they didn't believe it was him, they thought it was his ghost or his angel or something. They spent all that time praying that God would get Peter out of this situation and when he did the people didn't believe it.
Why do we do that?
The problem now is, we have de-evolved to the point of skipping the prayer part and going right to the non-belief part. We don't pray for anything serious anymore. When we do pray, it for stuff like our pets, or safe travelling, or my friend is being mean to me, or fluffy stuff like that.
We don't seriously pray for things because we don't seriously believe that God will do anything. I don't know if it is because we would rather rely on ourselves than see God move or we just plain don't think He will do anything. The fact is, in our story, what they prayed for they got. God moved!! He delivered Peter just like they asked!
What do you have going on in your life that you could pray...and I mean seriously pray about. I am talking about falling on your knees and asking God to move in this situation or that and believing that HE WILL DO IT!!!
What non-believing friend could you pray for, for opportunities to speak to them about Jesus?
Whose marriage is on the rocks that you could pray for restoration?
Who has an illness that you could pray for healing?
What situation in your own life are you struggling with that you could pray for guidance?
Jesus said ask whatever you want in my name and you will receive it. James says that you receive not because you ask for the wrong reasons. What that means is when you ask for something, why are you asking? Because you think it is the right thing to do? Or because you believe with all your heart that what you are praying for God will deliver?
Pray, talk to God like you believe what you are asking for will happen!!
May our LORD be with you
Josh
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