#NUTSHELL – DECEMBER 9th — PRAYER POWER – Acts 12:1-25: John Paton was a missionary in the New Hebrides Islands. One night hostile natives surrounded the mission station, intent on burning out the Patons’ and killing them. Paton and his wife prayed during that terror-filled night that God would deliver them. When daylight came they were amazed to see their attackers leave. A year later, the chief of the tribe was converted to Christ. Remembering what had happened, Paton asked the chief what had kept him from burning down the house and killing them. The chief replied in surprise, “Who were all those men there with you?” Paton knew no men were present—but the chief said he was afraid to attack because he had seen hundreds of big men in shining garments with drawn swords circling the mission station. Prayer is powerful. A Christ-follower’s spiritual weaponry is rooted in prayer (Ephesians 6:10-20). Prayer can free us from chains that keep us bound to sinful habits, attitudes and actions. Prayer can also free prisoners in a literal sense. Just ask Peter in Acts 12. Verse 5 describes the church’s response to Peter’s arrest, “But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him.” God responded supernaturally and sent an angel to free Peter from his chains and walk him right out of the prison unnoticed. Peter went directly to the home of the people who were praying for him. The servant girl who answered the door was so excited that Peter was on the other side of the door that she forgot to let him in. Instead she ran back inside and interrupted their “earnest” prayers to tell them that Peter was standing at the door, but they didn’t believe her. “You’re out of your mind,” they said. When she insisted, they decided, “it must be his angel” (vs 15). They prayed earnestly, God answered supernaturally, but they didn’t believe. We often pray like that. We pray human prayers to a holy God but we expect far less than a holy God is capable to give.
Posted on: Tue, 09 Dec 2014 12:01:09 +0000
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