Pastor Barry's  "Chapter & Verse"  Day 255

September 12;       Acts 12:16;       101/260(III);       ‘Pray in Faith’

Acts 12:16 Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished.

King Herod began persecuting the church.  He had James, the brother of John killed with a sword.  What he did pleased the religious Jews and so Herod had Peter arrested and put in prison.  The church was praying constantly for Peter’s deliverance.  Herod was going to send for Peter, probably to kill him and yet the night before Peter was to stand before Herod, he was sleeping.  The Bible says that the peace of God that passes understanding will guard our heart and mind (Philippians 4:7).  That night, in answer to prayer, an angel came and released Peter from prison.  Peter then went to the home of Mary, the mother of Mark.  Many from the church were there.  Peter knocked at the door of the gate of her home and a woman named Rhoda came to answer the door.  She heard Peter’s voice and was so excited, she forgot to open the door, but went and told everyone that Peter was outside.  All of the Christians in the house did not believe Rhoda, that Peter was there and that he had been set free from prison, even though that is what they had been praying for.  I said all of that to say that we must pray in faith and believe that the Lord hears and will answer the prayers that we pray.  We are to pray in line with the Word, believing that we have the answer to the prayer, we are praying, when we pray.  If the Word of God tells us what we are praying for is ours, we can pray in faith, thanking the Lord that He has answered our prayer.  Stand in faith and receive.