The power of prayer(Acts 12:12-17)

12 When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. 13 Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer the door. 14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, “Peter is at the door!” 15 “You’re out of your mind,” they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, “It must be his angel.” 16 But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. 17 Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. “Tell James and the other brothers and sisters about this,” he said, and then he left for another place.

Today, I will talk about prayer. Do you believe God will answer to your prayer? Many Christian pray, but they don't believe God will answer to what they are praying. When they attend prayer meeting in the church, even they pray with loud voice, and sometimes they shout when they pray. It looks as if they are very enthusiastic in their prayer. But actually they are not interested in what they prayed after prayer meeting. So to some christians regular prayer meeting of the church seems to be very formal. I don't like those persons who asks prayer to somebodies even though they don't believe God will answer to their prayer. It seems just a formal greeting to them. I think they want to show that they are trusting God.

And I don't think this is the same case... but the people who were attending in the prayer meeting for Peter who was in prison might pray earnestly, but when they heard Peter had been out of prison they didn't believe it. Before telling about this in detail I will tell the whole Bible story what we read today.

King Herod, after killing Apostle James, seeing this pleased the Jews, also put Apostle Peter in prison and scheduled to kill him next day. And at that night an angel from God visited the prison and he awoke Peter who was sleeping by striking him on his side.

You think. It is amazing to see Peter sleeping in the prison even though he was scheduled to be killed next morning by king Herod. Can you sleep as Peter, If you were in such a situation?

I heard from a missionary who had been ministering in jail that criminals under sentence of death cannot sleep all night and they fall asleep after six A.M every day. Why? In our country the death sentence is executed at six in the morning. So after the time of execution passing by, they fell asleep being relaxed. to be killed is such a dreadful things to every body.

But Peter was not afraid of being killed. Death is depend on God Himself. If it was God's will he would be killed and it would be good to Peter. And if it was also God's will he would be alive and it would also be good to him. Weather being on this way or that way everything would be good to Peter. Peter put his trust on God. That's why Peter could fall asleep in the prison.

 Many people can't sleep and stay up all night because of small things. Is there anything that make you worry about so you cannot sleep and stay you up all night? Put all your worries on God and have deep sleep. Psalm 127:4 says like this... "he grants sleep to those he loves". God loved Peter. God cleaned away all worries from Peter's mind. So Peter could fall asleep deeply. Because of such a deep sleeping the angel who visited the prison had to striking Peter's side to wake him up.

After that the angel guided Peter out of the prison. Peter had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening. He thought he was seeing a vision. They passed the first and second guards and when they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.

Peter went to the house of Mary where many people had gathered and were praying. Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant came to answer the door. When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back to the people saying Peter was at the door. But all the people who were praying for him did not believe in her saying “You’re out of your mind!” But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were suprised. And Peter described how the Lord had brought him out of prison.

The funny thing is.... even the people who gathered and were praying for Peter's release from jail did not believe the girl who reported Peter's release from jail. Then why were they praying for Peter? Were they praying for Peter's baptism of the blood? I think they were praying for Peter's release. Because Peter was the top leader of the church of 1st century. If he had been killed, Jerusalem church would meet serious difficulties. Then why did not they believe God would answer to their prayer? Do you think the people praying for Peter really believed that God would answer to their prayer? I am not sure about that. But many Christians of this age also are same. Even though they are praying for something they are not interested in God's answer to their prayer.

I was like so. When I finished my M.div course I wanted to extend my study more in USA. So I started my prayer for that. But when I thought about my situation at that time it seemed to be almost impossible for me to study in USA. So I forgot my prayer. But after 2 years later I could have the chance to study abroad. Even though I forgot my prayer, My God did not forget my prayer. In prayer always the problems are in our side, not God's side. You know Hebrew 11:6.

"without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."

he rewards those who earnestly seek him... this is very important and meaningful to the christians. If we earnestly pray to God, He will answer to our prayer.

I would like to finish my preaching after talking my testimony of prayer. It was when I was working in the church in Ulsan metropolitan city. A church member had a son who had been studying in university. One day while he was playing football game he fell down on the ground and from that time on he lost his consciousness. He was brought to the hospital and the doctor checked all his body and the doctor told his parents to prepare for his death. The doctor predicted more than 90% death. He was only son to his parents. So his parents asked to church to pray for their son. As a pastor I visited two times everyday with all other pastors who were working with me and earnestly prayed for his recovery. I was doing so for 4 days and at last God returned his consciousness to him. But honestly saying.... I didn't think he would recover his consciousness again. Because the doctor said more than 90% of his death. But which one will be more difficult for us? Resurrection After 4 days' death, or recover consciousness after 4 days' losing it? Jesus Raised Lazarus From the Dead after 4 days of his death and it is written in the Bible. Do you believe the Bible? Then you can our believe that God can answer to whatever our asking for in our prayer, if God wants. So this time I ask you put all things in your prayer. If you please God, God will answer to your prayer. Let 's pray together.