Title: Intercession/Acts 12:1-17
Contents Intercession/Acts 12:1-17
“At that time King Herod raised his hand to harm some of the church… ” (Acts 12:1-17)
Word: When the whole nation was renewed with the gospel of Jesus, the devil persecuted the church and the saints through King Herod. So, after killing James, the leader of the Jerusalem church, he succeeded in imprisoning Peter (verse 5). It seemed impossible to be rescued from the stern vigils guarded by watchmen, bound by two chains. Moreover, a public execution was scheduled in front of the people after the Passover. The method that the saints took after hearing this was to gather in a closet to offer intercessory prayers risking their lives. The surprising thing is that through this prayer, God has opened the heavenly throne and is moving ahead and working.
The chains from Peter's hand were removed (v. 7), Peter went out in his cloak (v. 8), and the iron gate of the watchtower opened by itself (v. 10). Then, is there a special secret to intercession that opens the gates of heaven? This time, we want to apply it to our home.
First, intercession with a clear purpose opens the gates of heaven. The Jerusalem church members had a time of intensive prayer to rescue Peter from prison. Purposeful prayer is a powerful way to clear blocks. We must also use intercession as a channel for family change. Even in a closed environment like a rock and the relationship between family members, through intercession we will have a soft heart. Satan tempts us to make our intercession seem worthless when it doesn't work quickly. But remember, when we pray, God goes ahead and changes circumstances.
And even one person's intercession must start with the belief that the answer is certain. After being rescued dramatically, Peter was the first to visit the Saints who had gathered at Mark's house to pray for him and knocked on the door. At that time, when a young child named Rhoda heard Peter's voice and reported this, they did not believe and accused the girl of being crazy. Many people interceded for Peter, but the true owner of faith was Rhode, who certainly believed in answers to prayers.