Acts 12:1-5

There is something deeply wrong when people choose to celebrate the death of an innocent man. Why is it that the forerunners of change are often the first to die for the very change they propose, yet when history finally catches up to them, they are honored? It happened to the prophets in the Old Testament, it happened to Jesus, and now it was happening to the Apostles.

Change never comes easy for some people. Many prefer things the way they are and do not want anyone rocking the boat. Yet how do we improve without change? What benefits one group is not always beneficial to another, and those profiting from the current system are rarely eager to make changes that would help those being victimized by it. One only has to look at present-day politics to see how true that is.

Herod kills James and intends to do the same with Peter. He places him under heavy guard in prison, yet there is one thing that stands out in this account. Scripture states:

“But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him.”

Never discount the power of prayer, and never underestimate the multiplied power of unified, earnest, corporate prayer.

Consider the words of James, the Lord’s brother, in James 5:16:

“Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.”

Peter is about to receive a visitation that is going to create quite a stir in the city, but as we can see, following the Lord is not without cost. James has already paid the ultimate price for his faith, and Peter now sits in prison awaiting what appears to be a similar fate. The Christian life has never been a promise of comfort or safety, but rather a call to faithfulness regardless of the consequences.

Yet in the middle of persecution, opposition, and uncertainty, the church did not panic—they prayed. They understood that some battles cannot be won through human strength, influence, or political power alone. Some victories only come through earnest prayer and complete dependence upon God.


Following Christ may cost us something, and for some throughout history, it has cost them everything. Yet the early church understood that persecution was not a reason to retreat, but a reason to press even deeper into prayer and dependence upon God. When circumstances seem impossible, prayer reminds us that God is still greater than every earthly authority, every prison, and every threat.