Fervent Prayer

5 So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.
6 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. 7 Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.

Acts 12:5–7

Can you imagine? You are in prison. Chained up. Guards either side of you. And suddenly you wake up. There’s a light shining into the cell. Someone’s just struck you in the ribs. Ouch. It’s an angel of the Lord, they do tough love. No gentle… hey… hey… wake up. Nope, quick, get up! Great fun.

But notice something. Verse 5. The Church was earnestly praying to God for him.

Peter is miraculously set free from prison because the Church earnestly prayed for him. Imagine if we earnestly prayed for more things?

Like, what if we earnestly prayed for 250 people at Village by 2030. What if God answered that prayer? Or what if we prayed for a Church building? Or for 10 people to become Christian in 2026?

I’m keen to pray more earnestly for these things. Would you join me?

Today:

• Pray earnestly for those three things above.
• Commit to praying once a week for those three things above.
• Give thanks to God for the gift of prayer.

Pray:

• Praise the Father that he listens to and answers the earnest prayers of his people.
• Give thanks for Jesus who gives us the right to pray
• Ask God for His Holy Spirit for the three things above.