BUSINESS V. The R. V. gives the thought o f the great word but it does n 6 t give the full force o f the word. The word means liter ally “ stretchedoutedly.” It is a vividly pictural word and represents the soul stretched out toward God in the intensity o f its desire. “Intensely” would come nearer giving the force o f the Greek word than “ earnestly;” in fact, intensely is from the same root as the Greek word here used. It is the same word that is used o f our Lord’s prayer in the garden in Luke 22:44, where we are told that “being in an agony He prayed more earnestly,” so intense was our Lord’s prayer on that occasion that “ His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down upon the ground.” It is the intense prayer, the prayer into which we throw our whole soul, to which God pays attention and which obtains the desired answer (cf. Rom. 15:30: Col.4:12, 13, R. V .; Jer. 29:13). The prayer was made “ of the church,” i. e., it was united prayer. There is power in the prayer o f an individual but there is not only added power hut multiplied power in united prayer. God delights in the unity o f His people and does everything He can to emphasize and promote it, therefore He especially promises to answer united prayer (Matt. 18:19, 20; Acts 1:14; 4:25, 31). (4 ) The prayer was “for Him", that is to say it was definite prayer. The prayer that gets a definite answer is the prayer that is for a definite person and a definite thing. In too many o f our prayers, both in public and private, we deal too much in generalities. It is now the very last night, early the next day Peter is to be lead forth to execution. Peter’s case indeed seems to be past hope but God often withholds His deliverances, and His answers to prayer until the last moment. Peter seems to have had faith that he would be deliv ered, for he was sleeping calmly and very soundly, and furthermore, just as soon as he was awakened he said, “Now I know of a truth that the Lord has sent His angel and delivered me.” The implication that Peter had been asking and expected Him to send His Angel to deliver him and now knew for a certainty that He had.
1144 THE KING’ S important factor—God. There is nothing too hard for the Lord, and there is noth ing too hard for the church that links itself on to God by prayer. It was now the very last night. Sunday, December St. Acts 12 : 5 , 6 . The church seemed helpless in their desire to get Peter out df his predicament. What could they do? They might have attempted to storm the prison, but that would have proven o f no avail; they might have gotten .up a petition and besought Herod to release Peter, they doubtless ■ could have gotten many names to their petition, but it is doubtful if the petition would have succeeded; they might have gone around and taken up a collection and bribed Herod to let Peter g o; that might have proven effective for Herod was open to that mode o f approachment. But there was one thing that they could do better than all these, more effective than all these, the most effective thing that any child of God can do, they could pray,' and pray they did. They appealed the case from Herod the king, to God the King of kings. If the enemies o f the church had known that the Christians were holding a prayer meeting to get Peter delivered from prison and death they doubtless would have been amused and would have said, “We will see what comes o f their prayers.” But while they would have treated the prayers of these believers with contempt, God did not. There are four things to notice about the prayer that brought such great things to pass, for they teach us how to pray so as to get what we ask: (1) It was “UNTO GOD.” The prayer that gets an answer is the prayer that is really “unto God." Much so-called prayer is not really “ unto God.” Though we use God’s name in offering the prayer, there is no real approach to God in our hearts. I f we would pray with power we should be sure, first o f all, in every prayer we ftiake, that we have actually come into God’s presence and are really talking to. Him. (2) The prayer was made “without ceasing’ according to the A. V., “ earnestly” according to the R.
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