Constant Prayer and Steadfast Faith
Today’s article, “Constant Prayer and Steadfast Faith,” relates to the passage in Acts 12:1-17. I want to explore the significance of persistent prayer, unwavering faith, and God’s supernatural actions.
Before I dive into the passage in Acts, remember that as a believer in Christ, your true family lineage is through Christ; we are born from above now, no longer belonging to this world. We have a new identity—a heavenly one. We are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:14-17) and heirs according to God’s promise (Gal. 3:26-29).
“Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.” Col. 3:10 NLT
“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Rom. 12:2 NLT
Our new life and identity are found in Christ, far above all powers and authorities! Our minds must be renewed to recognize who we are now in Christ.
“Be renewed in the spirit of your mind…” Eph. 4:23 NKJV
The renewed mind aligns with God’s reality. God’s realm has no limits and is full of creativity. A renewed mind enables God to release His ideas, His creativity, and His power to us and through us into our world.
Acts 12:1-4 Herod symbolizes Satan’s relentless attack on the church
Jesus said, “He would build His church and the gates of hell would not prevail against it.” Matt. 16:18 NKJV
The power of death can’t prevent the advance of God’s kingdom, nor claim victory over us.
The kingdom of heaven has endured violent assault, and violent men seize it by force [as a precious prize – a share in the heavenly kingdom is sought with most ardent zeal and intense exertion]. Matt. 11:12 Amp.
In life, suffering and opposition happen. Often, it’s resistance just before we get the answer to prayer. We must stay committed to persevere despite the opposition and keep our faith.
Suffering is like a jet just before it breaks the sound barrier; it faces a lot of resistance before the breakthrough. Breaking the sound barrier is necessary for a jet to fly higher and faster. For us to experience a breakthrough, there are things that must be resisted before entering into Christ’s victory.
In nature, all lower laws are subject to a higher law, and the same is true spiritually. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death (Rom 8:2). Resistance is a form of sin and death. To breakthrough to a higher law—the law of the Spirit of life—we must face this resistance, knowing Christ has already broken through for us. If He’s broken through, then He has made a way for us to breakthrough as well. *Apostolic anointing through Christ.
All suffering, including death, must be ‘swallowed up in life’ (2 Cor. 5:4). We are called to live in the power of the resurrection, but doing so also involves sharing in His suffering (2 Cor. 4:10, Phil 3:10). That doesn’t mean we accept suffering passively. Instead, we are to push through it and pursue until we grasp what Christ has apprehended for us. Resurrected life is our goal…
Suffering often relates to evil – tyrants or disease that take lives and cause pain for the human race. Yet, even in these situations, God can use them to lead us into a higher reality. That reality is Christ Jesus, His Word, and His blood, which grants us breakthrough; Christ in us, the hope of glory! Being fully clothed in Him!
Paul understood this:
“We never give up… our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen…” 2 Cor. 4:16-18 NLT
Acts 12:5 Constant prayer: without ceasing and fervent.
The believers did not approach the authorities, march, or protest; they only prayed. With their leader in prison, the church depended solely on prayer as their weapon. They recognized that their spiritual weapons, not physical ones, are what truly matter (2 Cor. 10:4).
James discussed the power of effective prayer.
“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.” James 5:16 NKV
“…The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].” James 5:16 AMP
The English word “effective” is derived from the Greek word “energeo.”
The basic idea in Greek means prayer “having energy.” Effective prayer is marked by earnestness, fervency, and energy. This text suggests that when we pray energized by the Holy Spirit’s power, things begin to happen!
James writes of the fervency of Elijah’s prayers:
“Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain … and he prayed again .. rain.” James 5:17-18 NKJV
Despite Elijah’s greatness, he was still subject to the same feelings and prone to the same weaknesses that we all experience. Effective, or miracle-working prayer, is not limited to just a few; everyone can pray!
We can learn much about prayer from Elijah (1 Kings 18:41-46):
1st, even though we have a promise of God’s provision, we should not stop praying for its fulfillment (“the sound of rain”).
2nd, we observe one of the postures of prayer: bowed down with face between his knees (vs. 42). It speaks of humility and earnestness.
3rd, we learn the importance of persistence in prayer, as he prayed seven times. Luke 18:1-8 “…men always ought to pray and not lose heart,” The violent take it … ardent zeal and intense exertion!
4th, we recognize the importance of faith as we pray by understanding that Elijah believed his prayer was answered before the answer actually arrived (vs. 44,45).
Acts 12:6-7 describes Peter sleeping, like Daniel, with an angel standing beside him.
Peter chooses to sleep, trusting in God. Maybe God will act again! If not, why worry about what you can’t control?
Believe and expect the activity of angels among us, supernatural works of God. Normative Christianity!
The phrase ‘angel of the Lord’ originates from the Greek Septuagint (Exod. 3:2, 4, 7) and signifies God’s personal involvement.1
Angels surround us to deliver us (Psalm 34:7). Angels are ministering spirits sent to aid us (Heb 1:13-14). We don’t worship angels, but recognize that God sends them to aid His people!
The spiritual realm around us is real; it is eternal and exists beyond the physical world. Peter thought he was having a vision (Acts 12:9), but in reality, the angel was there, helping him in his deliverance.
Suddenly, the iron gate opens supernaturally (Acts 12:10). Luke uses the Greek word automate, from which we get “automatic.” Like walking through an infrared detector, God automatically opened the door.
Acts 12:12-16: Peter at the door, knocking!
The young woman who opens the door informs the others, and they reply that she is beside herself! (Acts 12:15). Then, at her insistence, they respond, “It must be his angel.”
Some might think we’re crazy; radical faith unsettles many. Be childlike, be humble, but expect God to work in supernatural ways at times!
“You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes.” (Luke 10:21) Children trust and believe; skeptics just doubt!
Ancient Jews (and some modern Christians) believe that each person has a guardian angel, though this idea is hardly supported by the New Testament. This belief evolved into the view that these guardian angels also bore the image of the persons they protected and often appeared right after that person’s death. While we certainly do not want to read postbiblical literature back into our interpretation of Acts, it’s not hard to see that this notion was present among these early believers. Did they believe Peter had been delivered and was now waiting outside in the street? No. But they could believe that he had died, gone to heaven, and his look-alike angel was standing there!
Acts 12:16 They were amazed.
“But without faith, it’s impossible to please Him, for he that comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” Heb. 11:6 NKJV
Only believe, all things are possible to those who believe!
In Mark 6, there was no mighty miracle because of their unbelief. Our experience, or lack of it, should never prevent us from contending for what God has promised us in His word.
Final Thoughts
What are you trusting God for? Stay encouraged and keep praying—your answer is on its way! Remember, God cannot fail, and love always endures.
Heb. 13:5 AMP “…God… I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!]
Sometimes, it may feel like we’re walking through “the valley of the shadow of death” (Ps. 23:4). It’s a shadow—an illusion of what is real, but not the truth. We must keep moving forward, hold onto hope, and walk in peace and joy.
Like Paul, we must not lose our motivation, zeal, or the spiritual momentum and power we receive from Christ. No matter what we face or what seems lost or broken, it can become an opportunity for testimony.
Remember that God is still God and He holds our lives in His hands!
FootNote
1 Kenneth O. Gangel, vol. 5, Acts, Holman New Testament Commentary; Holman Reference, 195 (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1998).
