I normally parallel my article with the Sunday morning sermon but...

... today I felt Holy Spirit would have me share from my Wednesday night sermon. If you miss Wednesday nights, you are missing an opportunity to be blessed and to grow in your faith. We are all familiar with the story about Peter being locked up in prison and how the angel came to rescue him. The message is more about the church praying than it is about angels. Acts 12:5-7 (NKJV) ^“Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, "Arise quickly!" And his chains fell off his hands.” What happens when we pray sincerely?

1. When people pray in sincerity something from heaven shows up. There was an angel…a light showed up in the prison. When we pray here on earth, God responds from heaven. We have not because we ask not. We need something supernatural from God. Too much of what we have today has the smell of human instead of the touch of heaven. Maybe you are here needing something from heaven…pray until heaven shows up!

2. When people pray in sincerity God wakes people up. When the angel came to Peter, what did he do? He smote him in the side and woke him up. When God’s people pray…God wakes up those who are sleeping. Do you know anyone like that? People are sleeping…we must pray until they wake up. Our son was sleeping. We had to pray until he woke up. We had to call until God answered…until Josh responded.

3. When people pray in sincerity chains fall off. Chains are restrictive. If you have chains on your legs, you can’t run. When we pray personally we find a freedom we did not have before. A new ability or freedom to witness…no longer restricted. When we pray God sets people free. Listen, your prodigal can’t be worse off than Peter. I know with the opioid crisis we wonder if they can be free. They can! Pray! I was there before it was popular.

4. When people pray doors are opened. Pastor, the door is not opening…pray! There’s a battle! Pray! 1 Corinthians 16:9 (NKJV) “For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.” When God’s people pray…doors are opened just like for Peter. God opened the door and set him free. We don’t need a battering ram…we do not need to force it…God will open the door. Pray!