Praying Without Believing

Acts 12:13-19

There are thousands of books about prayer in the world today. Some people emphasize using some prescribed prayer, as if prayer were some magic incantation or spell. These may range from just saying the words, “in Jesus Name”, to praying the scriptures, or prayer books to ensure the prayer is said properly and will get results. Jesus said we are not to use such vain repetitions.

Others focus on the hours spent in prayer with at least one old writer saying a person should spend four hours a day. Jesus said we are not to be like them believing that we can wear God down by much talk. Apparently, God doesn’t appreciate nagging anymore than other people do. It actually demonstrates one doesn’t trust him to do what’s right without our nagging. Some turn it into a hunger strike by fasting until God gives them what they want, but God forbade that as well.

Still others focus on the emotional and psychological benefits of praying, sometimes without even believing there is a God to answer. To them. It is just a motivational and psychological tool to change the persons attitude.

Sadly, many of these ideas about prayer had been accepted into the Jewish religious culture, just as they have in modern churches. The Christians in Jerusalem had been taught differently, having seen God deliver Peter and John from prison, doing miraculous healings and wonderful works as a result of the Holy Spirit’s power. They believed totally that God could answer prayer, and had come together for twenty four hour a day prayer that Peter would be delivered for several days. I am sure they were getting a little desperate, knowing the clock was ticking on the last day. Unaware that the angel had released Peter, they were praying fervently for his release when Peter came to the house where they were.

“And when he knocked at the door of the gate, a maid came to answer, named Rhoda. And when she knew Peter`s voice, she opened not the gate for joy, but ran in, and told that Peter stood before the gate. And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she confidently affirmed that it was even so. And they said, It is his angel.” (Acts 12:13-15)

When Peter knocked, a young girl, answered the door, but hesitated to open it. When she heard Peter, she got so excited she forgot to open it in her eagerness to tell the others their prayers had been answered. They didn’t believe her and thought she was imagining things. When she insisted, they assumed the Lord had sent some spirit to comfort her.

Far too often we start praying for something, but when it doesn’t happen as soon as we think it should we begin to doubt that God will answer. We keep praying, largely in hopes of changing God’s mind, rather than in faith, because we are not convinced God heard us the first time, or that he would answer. We forget that God is not like the unjust judge, who only answered to get the lady to leave him alone, in Luke 18.

“But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened, they saw him, and were amazed. But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him forth out of the prison. And he said, Tell these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went to another place.” (Acts 12:16-17)

When nobody opened the door Peter knocked again and again. Finally somebody realized the knocking was real and opened the door, and they were amazed to see Peter standing there. I John 5:14-15 states, “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.” If they really believed that, they would not have been surprised when it happened. Of course, they probably wouldn’t have felt the need for twenty four hour prayer either. How we pray reveals a lot about our faith.

Filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter’s first concern was for others, that they not worry about him. Even though his life was at stake, he took time to let others know what was happening before making his escape. Again, we see the love the Holy Spirit produces.

“Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter. And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the guards, and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judaea to Caesarea, and tarried there.” (Acts 12:18-19)

Seeing the furor a prisoner escaping causes today, one can imagine the stink when Peter escaped from maximum security. It was undoubtedly heightened by Roman law, which specified that a guard’s life was forfeit if his prisoner escaped. Imagine the panic among the sixteen guards assigned to keep Peter. Herod was unmerciful. After all, he had ordered special precautions, fearing such an escape.