A Late Night Prayer Meeting

Introduction

When on my trip to Montana this last week I spent some precious time in prayer with my cousins as we prayed for some of their neighbors and friends and for each other. On Thursday nights I love our prayer meetings. It was interesting how on September 2 I was on a train in Wisconsin trying to stay connected to the Zoom call with the prayer meeting, but was disconnected. Yet, I was never disconnected from God or from Him in prayer. Even though I was not able to stay on the call and I am thankful that those who were on the call were able to continue it, I was able to continue to pray on the train heading west. Today I would like to look at an amazing event in the book of Acts that revolved around a prayer meeting and a miracle that happened.

Terror in the Early Church

Acts 12:1–4 NKJV

Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword. 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. 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.

Now this Herod is not the Herod who Jesus faced at his trial (Luke 23:6-12) that was Herod Antipas (Anti-pis)—the son of Herod the Great. This is Herod Agrippa I the grandson of Herod the Great. Later in Acts the Apostle Paul would encounter this man’s son (Herod Agrippa II).

This event takes place around a decade or so after the birth of the church when this happens. The Apostle Paul is already saved. Peter has already been to Caesarea and Cornelius has come to Christ. This all happened around the time of the salvation of the Gentiles when this harassing (or violence) and persecution increased to the church.

English Standard Version Chapter 12

He killed James the brother of John with the sword

So this is not the half brother of Jesus, but the brother of John (Gospel of John, 3 Letters, and Revelation). They were referred to as the sons of thunder. He was the first of the Apostles to be martyred for the cause of Christ. He is killed by the sword. The church was not only a religious issue, but Herod found it to be a political issue. He is killed and it pleased the Jews that he is stomping out this group (the church) so he puts Peter in prison.

English Standard Version Chapter 12

and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread. 4 And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people.

Putting Peter in prison would further his power and give him a good relationship with the Jewish people.

He is put in prison with 4 squads of soldiers.

Acts: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary Chapter 25: The Folly of Fighting God

These squads, consisting of four soldiers each, rotated the watch on Peter. At any given time, two were in the cell with him, chained to him, and two more were stationed outside the cell door (v. 6). Peter was definitely in the maximum security wing of Agrippa’s prison.

He is in there until after Passover is over to be executed. But I want us to see what it says in the next verse verse 5.

Prayer Meeting

Acts 12:5 NKJV

Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.

Peter is in prison BUT

Constant or Earnest, Fervent Prayers are being offered by the church for him. The church was having a prayer meeting. It sounds like this prayer meeting was going on for days. They are making intercession and prayer on behalf of Peter.

Acts: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary God’s Power Cannot Be Contested

a medical term describing the stretching of a muscle to its limits. Ektenōs is used in Luke 22:44 to describe our Lord’s prayer in Gethsemane, when “being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground.” The church poured the maximum effort they were capable of into their prayers for Peter.

James 5:16 NKJV

Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

How often do we have fervent prayer? I know I have had it a few times, but I feel I fail often. The church was having this prayer meeting (and I am sure in shifts) praying that God would do a miracle and free Peter.

The Miracle

Acts 12:6–11 NKJV

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. 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. 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.” 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. 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. And when Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.”

English Standard Version Chapter 12

6 Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. 7 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands. 8 And the angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” 9 And he went out and followed him. He did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. 10 When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel left him. 11 When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”

So the night before Herod was going to bring him out to be killed, what is Peter doing? He is sleeping between the two soldiers in the prison. He is bound to them with two chains.

That is peace. That is resting in Jesus. My seats on the train were a bit rough where I had a hard time sleeping, but can you imagine being on a cold stone prison floor with chains on you and yet Peter is sleeping and from what we read later in the chapter it sounds like he is sleeping soundly. He knows he is in God’s hands. He knows that in a mere hours he will be with Jesus again, but God had other plans.

An angel of the LORD shows up in the cell and lights it up (yet the soldier’s don’t see him). The Angel had to wake Peter up. Hits him in the side.

Get up quickly (Chains fell off)—Command

Dress yourself and Put on sandals (command)

Wrap your cloak around yourself

Follow me

Peter does all and follows the angel.

English Standard Version Chapter 12

He did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.

It reminds me of one of the early YouTube videos of David after at the dentist “Is this real life?”

Have you ever been in that kind of state? Peter thinks he is dreaming or this is a vision. He doesn’t know it is actually happening.

English Standard Version Chapter 12

10 When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel left him.

Goes through the guards and then the iron gate and goes out into the city.

Then he is out in the street and the angel disappears.

English Standard Version Chapter 12

11 When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”

This is when Peter sees he is awake and has been real and no vision.

Arrives at Prayer Meeting

Acts 12:12–19 NKJV

So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying. And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer. When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate. But they said to her, “You are beside yourself!” Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, “It is his angel.” Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. But motioning to them with his hand to keep silent, he declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Go, tell these things to James and to the brethren.” And he departed and went to another place. Then, as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers about what had become of Peter. But when Herod had searched for him and not found him, he examined the guards and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judea to Caesarea, and stayed there.

When Peter comes to himself he goes to the house of Mary who is the mother of John Mark.

Many were there gathered together praying for him.

Peter knocks at the door of the gate.

We have this funny event that happens. Rhoda (a household servant) hears Peter’s voice and is overjoyed that she forgets to let him in.

Peter’s at the gate. I heard his voice.

English Standard Version Chapter 12

15 They said to her, “You are out of your mind.” But she kept insisting that it was so, and they kept saying, “It is his angel!”

How often do we pray for something and when God answers it we think that He has hasn’t? Maybe we are like the people the prayer meeting?

English Standard Version Chapter 12

16 But Peter continued knocking, and when they opened, they saw him and were amazed. 17 But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Tell these things to James and to the brothers.” Then he departed and went to another place.

Peter tells the testimony of how God saved him.

Herod’s rage and end

Acts 12:18–25 NKJV

Then, as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers about what had become of Peter. But when Herod had searched for him and not found him, he examined the guards and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judea to Caesarea, and stayed there. Now Herod had been very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; but they came to him with one accord, and having made Blastus the king’s personal aide their friend, they asked for peace, because their country was supplied with food by the king’s country. So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them. And the people kept shouting, “The voice of a god and not of a man!” Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died. But the word of God grew and multiplied. And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their ministry, and they also took with them John whose surname was Mark.

God wins.

Conclusion

Prayer is powerful. Prayer is powerful because of WHO we are praying to. God answers prayers. It might not be in the way we expect or want, but He does answer them.

Revelation 5:8 NKJV

Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

Revelation 8:3–4 NKJV

Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand.

Our prayers are incense in Heaven.

When we do not know what to pray ask the Holy Spirit to make intercession on our behalf

Romans 8:26–27 NKJV

Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 NKJV

pray without ceasing,

Let us lift up our fervent prayers before the LORD as the early church did for Peter. God is still in the prayer answering business as He always will be. How He answers is up to Him.