“She was so overjoyed when she recognized Peter’s voice that, instead of opening the gate, she ran in and announced that Peter was standing at the gate. They told her, “You are out of your mind,” but she insisted that it was so. But they kept saying, “It is his angel.”
Acts 12:14-15
The disciples had been praying fervently for Peter, who was arrested and imprisoned for preaching the gospel. A group of believers were gathered together at the home of Mary, the mother of the disciple, Mark, who wrote the gospel of Mark. It was the night before Peter’s trial with Herod.
While they were praying, Peter was set free by an angel, who suddenly appeared in his jail cell, waking him up, and telling him to get up and get dressed. The chains fell off his wrists and the angel escorted him out the prison doors, passing guard after guard. Either the guards were in a trance or put to sleep by the angel. A heavy iron gate opened up by itself. Peter thought it was all a dream or a vision, until he was led to the home where the group was gathered and praying for him. Then the angel disappeared.
Peter knocked on the door and Rhoda, a house maid, went to the door, first asking who was there, and when she heard Peter’s voice, she was overjoyed to know their prayers were answered. Instead of letting him in, she excitedly ran to tell all the disciples that Peter was at the door, but not one of them believed her.
Rhoda shows us how to pray and live with expectations that God will answer, even though He may answer in unexpected ways. She heard Peter’s voice at the door and she believed. She didn’t need to know how he could possibly be out of prison and suddenly appear at the door. It made no logical sense to the group, that Peter could appear at the door in that hour of the night, so they told Rhoda she was out of her mind. Rhoda had expectations that prayer brings answers which may defy all of our common sense and logic.
The Holy Spirit spoke to me through this story, as my own heart is often doubting, and too fixated on the logical.
If we believe God sent an angel and liberated Peter from prison, we can believe He still liberates and frees all who are oppressed or sick today. We can trust that God may send His angel to wake us or our loved one up spiritually, and lead us out of the iron gate of doubt, discouragement and fear.
Jesus also told us to expect His return. We are to dress ourselves with readiness, expecting Him at any time. No one knows when, nor are we to make predictions, but we are to live in expectation.
When the disciples asked Jesus what would be the sign of His return, He told them that wickedness would greatly increase and love would greatly decrease in the world, but He encouraged all His disciples to remain firm until the end.
(Matthew 24:12-13)
There have been perilous seasons throughout history, that seem to come in waves, but it keeps us praying, as the disciples did the night of Peter’s liberation from prison. God continues to heal, save and deliver, throughout all seasons, as we continue to pray fervently.
A phrase I always heard growing up, was, “God helps those who help themselves,” but In truth, “God helps those who trust in Him,” and this story illustrates it. He still helped Peter because of the fervent prayers of believers, even with their limited expectations. If there was ever a season in history to trust in Jesus, and raise our expectations, it’s now.
Lord, help us to be like Rhoda, and live in expectation of the answers to our prayers. We believe that our fervent prayers will bring down your power which breaks all chains, opens the heaviest iron gate and sends your angels to lead us into complete freedom in Jesus’ name. Amen