[lead dropcap="yes"]It's easy to feel like God sometimes shows up at the last possible moment. Like, he waits right up until the moment of truth-sweat dripping down your forehead, eyes darting at the clock, leaving you wondering if he’s even going to show up at all? He always shows up, but God interrupts our timeline to tell his story. He works on his time to prove a point that he is always faithful, and is able to accomplish the perceived impossible.[/lead]We see this in Acts 12:1-19, where Peter is arrested in Jerusalem during Passover. God waits until the night before Peter’s trial to free him from prison, by sending an angel of the Lord. The angel of the Lord loosened Peter’s shackles and led him to the home of Mary, mother of John.
“The sudden movements of God are typically on the heels of the earnest prayers of man."– RICH WILKERSON JR.
As we learn in our message this week, the true miracle of Peter’s freedom didn’t take place in the prison, but in Mary’s home. Mary’s home was full of Christ followers who were earnestly praying for Peter while he was in prison. As they prayed, God moved. Here are a few ways we can make our own prayers effective:
Precise
We must put some effort in our prayers and ask God for the specific desires of our heart, rather than just praying broad prayers.
Powerful
Contrary to the belief of many, this doesn't mean praying loudly. This simply means we should pray with confidence knowing that the power of the living God dwells within us.
Persistent
God is honored by our persistence. It shows we have authentic faith that he will come through on his promises. It also shows we truly care about what it is we're praying for.
What’s true of Mary’s home should be true of our home at VOUS Church as well. Mary’s house was full of faith, full of fellowship, and full of freedom. These are the pillars on which VOUS Church stands as we seek to build a church that shouts to a dying city, “Welcome home.”
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