05/18 - 05/19: THE CONSTANTLY PRAYING CHURCH - Acts 12:1 - 10
May 18, 2024

A YEAR OF PRAYER

THE CONSTANTLY PRAYING CHURCH

1  Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. 
2  Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword. 
3  And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread. 
4  So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover.
5  Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. 
6  And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. 
7  Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands. 
8  Then the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and tie on your sandals”; and so he did. And he said to him, “Put on your garment and follow me.” 
9  So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. 
10  When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him. —Acts 12:1 - 10

Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. —Acts 12:5

And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. —Acts 12:6

1. The constantly praying church prays in faith that the presence of God is already present in the need.

Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him… —Acts 12:7a

For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. —Psalm 91:1

7  The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them.
8  Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!
9  Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him. —Psalm 34:7 - 9

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. —Psalm 46:1

Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him. —Matthew 4:11

2. The constantly praying church brings light to the darkest night.

Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison… —Acts 12:7a - b

Therefore He says: “Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” —Ephesians 5:14

Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. —Isaiah 60:1

Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; when I fall, I will arise; when I sit in darkness,
the Lord will be a light to me. —Micah 7:8

Shake yourself from the dust, arise; sit down, O Jerusalem! loose yourself from the bonds of your neck, O captive daughter of Zion! —Isaiah 52:2

For You will light my lamp; the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness. —Psalm 18:28

4  And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.
5  This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. —1 John 1:4 - 5

And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. —John 1:5

3. When the church prays, the miracle is set in motion.

Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands. —Acts 12:7

12  Then he said to me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words. 
13  But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia. —Daniel 10:12 - 13

Those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, bound in affliction and irons— —Psalm 107:10

14  He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, And broke their chains in pieces.
15  Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! —Psalms 107:14 - 15

When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men. —Ephesians 4:8

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,     because the Lord has anointed me     to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,     to proclaim freedom for the captives     and release from darkness for the prisoners. —Isaiah 61:1

9  Then Naaman went with his horses and chariot, and he stood at the door of Elisha’s house. 
10  And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean.” 
11  But Naaman became furious, and went away and said, “Indeed, I said to myself, ‘He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy.’ 
12  Are not the Abanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage.
 13  And his servants came near and spoke to him, and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” 
14  So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. —2 Kings 5:9 - 14