Monday 4 May 2026

Psalm 38:9-22

Background
Acts 12 is such a powerful lesson for us all on the power of prayer.

It starts with something terrible happening. One of the senior disciples, James the brother of John, one of the three people in the gospels portrayed as being closest to Jesus, gets arrested and then executed. The Early Church has been making waves in Jerusalem, upsetting the status quo and gaining converts. So the religious authorities talk with the political leaders and have James killed.

When this proves popular Peter is clearly next in the firing line, as the leader of this new Christian movement. So he gets arrested…  and what does the Early Church do? Pretty much the only thing they can do: they start praying.

So had they been praying beforehand, in the time between James’s arrest and his execution? Presumably they had. And yet James was killed.

I find there are two things that often cause Christians to not pray, or to not pray for the truly big things in life. These are two flawed ways of thinking, which can rob us of what God wants to do in our lives.

1. Firstly, we think that something is God’s will, and so will inevitably come to pass. The disciples could have thought to themselves: "Well, if God wants to release Peter, then God will simply do it." But this thinking forgets that we are in a spiritual battle, and that we need to pray (daily) for God’s kingdom to come and for God's will to be done (Matthew 6:10).
2. Secondly, we are afraid that something is too miraculous or too unlikely to happen, often because of previous disappointments or unanswered prayers. I find this when praying for healing for others who have serious diseases (eg cancer). I have had friends die young from cancer and become discouraged from praying next time. But I’ve also had friends healed from cancer (and other terrible afflictions) and I don’t believe sickness is God’s will for anyone. So I want to have the faith to keep praying.

Fortunately the Early Church prayed for Peter’s release, even after the disappointment of James’s execution. And they kept praying because they knew it was God’s will, and that they were in a spiritual battle.

The result was so dramatic that even half the prayer meeting and Peter himself didn’t quite believe it when God miraculously intervened. But it happened... because they prayed.

To Ponder:

• What are you praying for? What’s your most pressing need at the moment?
• What are the most miraculous answers to prayer you have ever received?
• What are the things you are afraid or discouraged to pray for because they seem too big, even though you think they may be God’s will? Why not pray for them now?

Prayer
Lord Jesus, help me to be faithful in prayer. Give me a faith so I continue to pray for the things you reveal I should be praying for. May I continue to pray for the things I know or believe to be your will. Let me not be afraid to bring to you my biggest needs and challenges. Please guide my prayers, and let me see you answering them and building your kingdom through them. Amen.

Bible notes author: Mark Williamson
Mark Williamson works for One Rock International, helping Christian leaders to start up and scale up mission projects. Methodist lay leaders are invited to join the next online One Rock Institute course of training and coaching in Christian leadership, starting in September 2026 – see https://onerockinternational.com/institute/.  Mark is also chair of Fresh Expressions UK, a local preacher, and a member of Methodist Central Hall Westminster.