252: Acts 12 – How to get God to hear me
About that
time King Herod Agrippa began to persecute some believers in the church. He had the apostle James (John’s brother)
killed with a sword. When
Herod saw how much this pleased the Jewish people, he also arrested Peter.
(This took place during the Passover celebration.) Then he imprisoned him, placing him under the
guard of four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring Peter out
for public trial after the Passover. But
while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him.
The night
before Peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep, fastened with two chains
between two soldiers. Others stood guard at the prison gate. Suddenly, there was a bright light in the
cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel struck him on the
side to awaken him and said, “Quick! Get up!” And the chains fell off his
wrists. Then
the angel told him, “Get dressed and put on your sandals.” And he did. “Now put
on your coat and follow me,” the angel ordered. So Peter left the cell, following
the angel. But all the time he thought it was a vision. He didn’t realize it
was actually happening. They
passed the first and second guard posts and came to the iron gate leading to
the city, and this opened for them all by itself. So they passed through and
started walking down the street, and then the angel suddenly left him.
Peter
finally came to his senses. “It’s really true!” he said. “The Lord has sent his
angel and saved me from Herod and from what the Jewish leaders had planned to
do to me!”
When he
realized this, he went to the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many
were gathered for prayer. He
knocked at the door in the gate, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to open
it. When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so
overjoyed that, instead of opening the door, she ran back inside and told
everyone, “Peter is standing at the door!” “You’re out of your mind!” they said. When she insisted,
they decided, “It must be his angel.”
Meanwhile,
Peter continued knocking. When they finally opened the door and saw him, they
were amazed. Acts 12:1-16 NLT
GOD HEARS ME WHEN…
I recognize my need for God enough to vocalize it
… you don’t have what you want because you
don’t ask God for it. James 4:2 NLT
I cry
out to God; yes, I shout. Oh, that God would listen to me! Psalm 77:1
NLT
1. Barriers to crying out
to God
a. My fear
Day
and night I have only tears for food, while my enemies continually taunt me,
saying, “Where is this God of yours?” Psalm 42:3 NLT
b. My pride
Then if my people who are called by my name
will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked
ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their
land. 2 Chronicles 7:14 NLT
c. My sin
2. I rally others who love Jesus to my cause
And the king said to the man of God, “Entreat now the favor of the LORD your
God, and pray for me… 1 Kings 13:6 ESV
And Simon answered, “Pray for me to
the Lord, Acts 8:24 ESV
pray for me! Ephesians 6:19 NLT
But while Peter was in
prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him. Acts 12:5 NLT
3. I prepare myself for His answer
and not my own
I cry
out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill his purpose for me. Psalm
57:2 NLT
“I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I
will be naked when I leave. The LORD gave me what I had, and the LORD has taken
it away. Praise the name of the LORD!” Job 1:21 NLT
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