In times of crisis, we must know what to do to gain victory. Acts 12 gives us a good model.
In Acts 12, heavy persecution hit the Jerusalem group of Jesus followers. It came against them from the enemies with the most money, the strongest military and political power, and a long and established religious tradition. Herod Agrippa, who ordered the persecution, was a ruthless king who cared nothing for God nor man, only his own power. He wanted to do something to please the religious establishment.
Among those who died was James, apostle of the church, brother of John, son of Zebedee, one of Jesus’ three closest disciples. Peter waited in jail for public humiliation and certain death, delayed only by a religious holiday. We are told that he was guarded by 16 soldiers and chained to two of them. Short of a miracle, Peter was going to die.
The death of James was a terrible blow to the church, and the loss of Peter and his teaching would put the church in jeopardy. No one took the situation lightly. We are told the whole church met for an all-night prayer meeting over this humanly impossible situation. It was grim, but not hopeless.
To make a long story short, the miracle happened. An angel came to the prison and snatched Peter from his chains, from the guards and from certain death. His rescue was so dramatic, it caught everyone by surprise, including the prayer warriors.
This miracle took place because of how the church responded to the crisis. They did not just wait for God to act, nor did they panic.
Luke tells us the whole church met for an all-night prayer meeting and prayed “fervently.” The Greek word means they strained themselves to the utmost to reach their goal. They were not half-hearted or ritualistic in their prayers but wholehearted. They may not have been eloquent, but they gave themselves with total sincerity, expectancy and trust that God would come through. They moved God with their faith in Him.
There is great advantage in praying together. Prayer builds upon prayer, faith builds upon faith, until they find themselves praying for things only God can do. God wants us to pray for “impossible” things and expect Him to do them. He delights when we trust Him as our Father. He wants us to grasp the authority He has given us to deal firmly with the “Herod Agrippas” of our lives (see Matthew 16:19).
It never pays to be passive with God. God is “in control,” but in His sovereignty, He wants us to confront opponents with authority to speak and decree words of release and freedom, to destroy the works of the devil. Certainly, the devil was at work through the political and religious elites of that day. The church recognized it, taking the situation seriously, yet refusing to panic or regard themselves as victims.
We also live in crisis days, facing our own “Herod Agrippas.” Let us pray “fervently” in the spirit of the early church. The prince of darkness is grim, but we must not tremble for him. Instead, we must pray, united in wholehearted sincerity and confidence in the God of the impossible. No chains and prisons need hinder His purposes in this world and in our lives when we ask in faith.
We live in dangerous times. We are like sailors tossed about on the sea, fearing the waves will tear the ship in two. How easy for us to become alarmed and discouraged, to despair that God has abandoned us.
From the Desk of Valson Abraham 