What Happens When We Pray?

Acts12:5, “Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.”
Life has many turns and curves that will cause us to pray. Some may be painful, some due to loss or some crisis that has turned our world upside down. In the book of Acts we see a story where politics has driven a ruler to put a man of God in prison. Prejudice and jealousy has caused another preacher to lose his head. If you will follow this 12th chapter you will see how God turned things around and won the victory. Jesus and the gospel was magnified and Herod died.
Herod was trying to gain pleasure from the Jews and he thought if he got rid of Peter and James he would become more powerful and popular. What he did not count on was the power of prayer. Peter was in jail guarded by a vast number of soldiers waiting his execution… but prayer was made without ceasing. The power of God was brought to the jail that night. Prayer was the turning point in this chapter. Herod started out in control and on a rampage but in verse 24 we see “the word of God grew and multiplied”. It was not Herod’s reputation that was spread it was that of Jesus. When the church prayed without ceasing the events of history changed. What made this happen?
First prayer was made without ceasing. Jesus tells us that we will continue receiving and finding as we continue asking and searching. “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” (Matthew7:7-8). Second, the prayer was made by the church. If the body of Christ will not pray for each other who will pray for us?
The third thing about this prayer was that it was unto God. Not all prayer is to the one true and living God. Jesus says, “No man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John14:6). The last thing to notice about the prayer it was made for Peter specifically. Personal intercessory prayer is Christ’s command to his church. Pray without ceasing and for a specific person or problem. We are to lay that person or problem on the alter and let God deal with it.
Prayer can and will change lives. When we go to God in prayer for another and seek His will God will answer and wonderful things will be seen. We must also remember God has a plan and a time. His time and His ways are not our ways or time. If we pray without ceasing unto God for a specific person rest assured God will hear and answer. When God does answer we are to rejoice and give Him praise.
The prayer of repentance for salvation will save a soul and a prayer made by the church without ceasing will change history.