Acts 12: Passion for prayer

Major Gary Lacey recognises the difference praying can make.

Key text

• Acts 12:1–18

The backdrop to our study passage is wrapped up in Herod’s purpose. This is not the Herod who killed children in Bethlehem, but Herod Agrippa, his grandson. Herod Agrippa’s purposeful desire was to find favour with those Jews who were in opposition to Christians. He arrested Peter and imprisoned him for his Christian faith, likely intending to garner favour with the people who were against Christianity (see vv1–3).

While Peter was in prison, his fellow Christians, his church, were earnestly praying for his release. We are told that another disciple, James, had already been put to death. Therefore, we can imagine the believers were praying with passion because Peter’s trial was imminent. Their focus was on Peter, one of their own, who was in jail for nothing other than being a follower of Jesus.

There are many kinds of prisons that people find themselves in. Some people might find themselves in the prison of financial despair and poverty, of sickness, of an unhealthy relationship, of unhappiness with work or unemployment or even the prison of injustice. These are just a few examples of the infinitely different captivities humanity is so often embroiled in. Our study passage shows us that a passion for prayer is needed to bring freedom to people in captivity. Why? We discover that prayer breaks chains.

Pause and reflect

• Where do we place praying for the lost and broken in our missional priorities?

We read that Peter ‘was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance’ (v6). It seemed impossible for him to be easily freed, yet his fellow believers were praying for him with passion and purpose.

Suddenly a wholly supernatural occurrence ensued. This included an angel illuminating the darkness, the chains falling off Peter’s wrists, and Peter hearing and obeying the angel’s instructions. All this happened without the guards beside him, the sentries at the entrance or any others noticing.

Peter got dressed and still the guards did not stir. No one appeared to witness what was happening. Peter followed the angel: ‘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’ (v10).

Peter walked into freedom and headed straight for his church community, who were earnestly praying. He was confident that his freedom was the work of God.

Pause and reflect

• Why do we so often prioritise many other aspects of church life over prayer? 
• What do you visualise happening as you pray?

Just imagine if we were to embrace prayer as our principal missional approach. Not as the only approach, of course, but as the vital element of our mission. Write down the most pressing examples of people you know who are experiencing the hardship of some kind of captivity. You might know someone who is ill, someone who is grieving or someone who is really struggling with addiction. Commit to earnestly pray for them, focusing on the breaking of the chains that hold them. Maybe get others to pray with you for them. Build intercessory prayer into your lifestyle. Raise your faith level to accept that God will break chains through prayer.

Pause and reflect

• How do we stir up a passion for prayer in our fellowships?

When the Church earnestly prays, it connects us to Jesus. He is already in our communities, carrying out his mission to save this world from the horrors of sin. Look how the believers prayed for Peter in prison – God answered in a way they could never have anticipated.

Passionate prayer starts with the recognition that we have a deep need of a Saviour and that others do too. Learning to see that need, in someone else’s life or the life of a community or globally, is crucial to joining Jesus on the mission field. Spurred on by our own deep needs and the needs of others, let us allow the Holy Spirit to stir up a passion for a fresh approach to prayer.

Pause and reflect

• Consider how you have viewed prayer so far in your journey as a Christian. Do you give prayer as much credence as you should?

Pause and reflect

• How do you react if your prayers are not answered by God in the way that you would like them to be?

In verses 12 to 17, we discover how those praying for Peter reacted when prayer was answered.

When Peter arrived at the house, Rhoda was so overjoyed to hear his voice that she couldn’t wait to share the news and left him standing outside. The majority took some convincing, yet seeing was believing. Peter wanted his good news to be shared to the wider Church. Herod showed no mercy to the guards.

This story is testament to the undoubted passion for prayer that these early Christians had. We must be passionate about prayer too: it is vital to our work as The Salvation Army in this world.

If we earnestly engage in prayer, we will see God’s victory in our own lives and the lives of others. As we take a brief look at this Scripture, I hope that our passion for prayer will be stirred and that our desire for intercessory prayer will be awakened.