Earnest Prayer shatters Chains
It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church…
He had James, the brother of John put to death...he proceeded to seize Peter also...So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.
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. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared... “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chain fell off Peter’s wrists...Peter followed him out of the prison…
They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gates leading to the city.
It opened for them by itself...suddenly the angel left him.
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 everything the Jewish People were hoping would happen. (Acts 12:1-11)
He had James, the brother of John put to death...he proceeded to seize Peter also...So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.
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. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared... “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chain fell off Peter’s wrists...Peter followed him out of the prison…
They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gates leading to the city.
It opened for them by itself...suddenly the angel left him.
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 everything the Jewish People were hoping would happen. (Acts 12:1-11)
Prayer always works. Jesus said we should always pray and never give up. James reminds us that the effectual fervent prayers of the righteous are powerful and effective. God says if His people who are called by His Name repent and turn from their wicked ways, He will hear their prayers and heal their land. Paul enjoins us to pray without ceasing. Why? Because prayer is the one thing that changes everything. Prayer is a mighty spiritual weapon.
Herod rose up against the church and killed James, one of the disciples of Jesus. He proceeded to put Peter in prison, intending to kill him.
But something interesting happened: “the church was earnestly praying for him.” It was a wake up call that the church needed to rise up in earnest and intensive prayer to save Peter’s life! God sent an angel in answer to the prayers. He shattered the chains off Peter’s wrists right amidst the soldiers, and walked him out through the iron gates which opened by itself!
Something powerful happens when the Church rises up in earnest prayer! Prison doors are opened and chains are shattered.
These are days of intensifying persecution against God’s Church around the world.
My prayer is that you and I will avail ourselves for earnest prayers of intercession. When one of us is touched, it affects us all. But when we earnestly pray, prison doors will be opened and chains will be broken. In your time of trouble, may God raise up chain-shattering prayer warriors to intercede on your behalf. Earnest prayer shatters chains.
Herod rose up against the church and killed James, one of the disciples of Jesus. He proceeded to put Peter in prison, intending to kill him.
But something interesting happened: “the church was earnestly praying for him.” It was a wake up call that the church needed to rise up in earnest and intensive prayer to save Peter’s life! God sent an angel in answer to the prayers. He shattered the chains off Peter’s wrists right amidst the soldiers, and walked him out through the iron gates which opened by itself!
Something powerful happens when the Church rises up in earnest prayer! Prison doors are opened and chains are shattered.
These are days of intensifying persecution against God’s Church around the world.
My prayer is that you and I will avail ourselves for earnest prayers of intercession. When one of us is touched, it affects us all. But when we earnestly pray, prison doors will be opened and chains will be broken. In your time of trouble, may God raise up chain-shattering prayer warriors to intercede on your behalf. Earnest prayer shatters chains.
Prayer: Lord, please help me to invest myself in earnest intercession to break every chain that the enemy is seeking to trap your children with. Amen.