"You are out of your mind!"

"So Peter was kept in Prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church...  

  Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison.  And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shown in the cell.  He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, 'Get up quickly'.  

And the chains fell off his hands...

...they came to the iron gate leading into the city. 

 It opened for them of its own accord,

 and they went out and went along the street...

He went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.  And when he knocked at the door of the gateway, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer.  Recognizing Peter's voice, in her joy she did not open the gate, but ran in and reported that Peter was standing at the gate.  They said to her, 'you are out of your mind'."

Excerpts from Acts 12

You Doubt God's Answer When it Comes

"You are out of your mind..."  How many times have I said or thought something similar, not in so many words, but certainly the implication was there, more out of disbelief, when I have heard about a "miraculous" answer to prayer.   

Why the disbelief?   

As we read in Acts 12, the church had gathered specifically to pray for Peter, "So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church."   

I wonder what the church in Acts was specifically praying concerning Peter's imprisonment. Did they limit their prayers to his comfort and protection or did they pray boldly that he might be set free? The people's response of "you are out of your mind" when Rhoda told them Peter was at the door, would appear that they were NOT praying for Peter's release.   

Or were they?...

The very fact that the church had gathered to pray about Peter's imprisonment and were still praying when Peter arrived at their house would indicate to me that they were indeed praying for his release.   

Believer's prayed.  God moved in a miraculous way!

But yet they didn't believe that Peter was at the door even while praying!

When I was first pondering this passage, I was most struck by the very connection between the church's earnest prayer and the astounding miracle of Peter's chains falling off  resulting in his subsequent freedom.

This brought me great encouragement as I have been praying for someone in the throws of addiction - chains of bondage in its own right. 

 I admit, though, that when I was praying, feeling the hopelessness of the situation surrounding this person's addiction, I was "talking" to God saying "I know you can do anything., but..."    But??  How did I allow that thought to come into my mind?!  Jeremiah 32:27 says, "I am the Lord, the God of all flesh.  Is anything too hard for me?"    Well, I'll tell you how... Too often I predetermine the will of God in a given situation.  I will assume that "my desire" is not His will.  This is not because I see Him as a "harsh Father", but because I truly don't know "His plans" concerning that which I am praying.   It could be that the given trial is necessary for the growth of the person or the growth of me.  This is not to say that I don't earnestly pray for the trial to pass, but regretfully, doubts can surface as to whether I think they will be answered the way I would hope.  

But God says... 

 "Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power that is at work within us."  Ephesians 3:20

 I am not called to presuppose the will of God in any trial, I am called to pray!  

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."  Philippians 4:6

"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful."  Colossians 4:2

"...the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."  James 5:16

"Pray without ceasing." 1 Thessalonians 5:17

You Doubt God When He has Faithfully Answered You Before

When the Israelites were in the dessert being led by God through a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, and where God provided water to drink and manna to eat, the Israelites STILL had doubts about what God could do.  I've often said I am just like the Israelites in the desert.  Despite seeing God working miracles in my life and answering prayers which FAR exceeded my hopes and expectations, I could still be found doubting His provision! 

In one such situation,  it looked like the answer to many fervent prayers was going to be a resounding no.  The die had been cast...  What I was praying would not move forward was indeed set to begin... And suddenly, at the 11th hour, what seemed like a "done deal" was reversed in a turn of events that shocked me!  There it is! my "You are out of your mind" moment! Why was I shocked??  I had been fervently praying that the situation would be blocked and it was!!  This middle-aged woman, on the phone in a stairwell at work, upon finding out the answer to her prayer, was jumping up and down like a child with excitement and praising God!

Instead of doubting an answer to prayer for a situation that seems "hopeless", I must do as the Psalmist and "...remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old."  Psalm 77:11.  My life is full of examples of God's goodness to me, and the Bible is replete with examples of His great and mighty works.

The above verses from Acts 12  have spurred me on to pray boldly,  ESPECIALLY in situations that seem impossible, and to always look EXPECTANTLY for the answer.   

No longer will I say,  "You are out of your mind.", but instead I will say  with God, all things are possible.  Matthew 19:26

For related posts, please click on the following:

Believing the Unseen

Help my Unbelief!

7 Powerful Truths To Remember When You Doubt God

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