Acts in 28 DaysSample

Acts 12: 1 - 18

Have you heard of the Metaverse, Meta’s (formerly Facebook’s) attempt at a virtual reality which it once hoped we would all fully engage in? It is a completely digital world in which you can see and enter with special glasses or lenses. The idea is that you are not just looking at a screen anymore, but you enter a new world with all your senses. The aim is for it to feel like a totally different reality.

In Acts 12, we read about Peter, who finds that his reality isn’t looking great; he’s in a jail cell. As we’ve been seeing in Acts, following Jesus can be pretty risky. That doesn’t seem to have stopped Peter, and he finds himself imprisoned. The authorities treat him like a dangerous criminal, even putting two guards with him in his cell. Peter is not going anywhere anytime soon.

Suddenly, something extraordinary happens in the jail: an angel appears out of nowhere, chains fall off, doors fly open, and the guards are still fast asleep. Peter is free to go! Funnily enough, Peter thinks it’s not really happening, but that it’s some kind of supernatural waking dream (verse 9). A few moments later, he finds himself outside the prison and realises it is no dream at all, but he is genuinely free!

It is fascinating to think that Peter, the one who Jesus instructs to lead his church, struggles to really grasp what is going on. Even the greatest among us sometimes don’t realise that with God, anything is possible. With God, there is a whole other reality we don’t seem to naturally take into consideration. We need to realise there is another reality out there where the impossible can be made possible.

Do you know what the coolest thing about it all is? It all seems to happen through prayer (verse 5). While Peter is in prison, his community is praying earnestly for him. The story doesn't mention how or what they pray, but according to Jesus’ teachings, it wouldn’t have had to be complicated (Matthew 6:7).

You too can influence and be part of unseen realities and situations just by praying to God. You can pray for your friends and family, or you can be involved in ministering to others far away. Lives can be changed, and prisoners can even be set free, just by praying earnestly!

GO DEEP

Sometimes prayer can become something we forget about. It's part of following Jesus, but a lot of us struggle with it. Do you struggle with it? Reflect for a while on your own prayer life and talk about it with God.

BE BOLD

Earnest, simple, but deep prayers can be hugely impactful. Who is God asking you to pray for over the coming weeks? Make a plan for when you will pray for that person. Maybe you could do it with someone else and help each other to keep on praying so that people’s realities may change for the better.

MEMORISE IT

“So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.” - Acts 12:5