Not surprisingly, most of us are sceptical about things that are presented as supernatural, since clever illusionists and religious charlatans have proved themselves more than willing to relieve us of our money. So what might we make of a story in which angelic intervention and guidance brought a man out of bondage and saved him from certain death? Would we believe such a story? Would we accept it, or would we reject it? Just suppose that we had been praying continually and earnestly for that very outcome — would we readily receive the news that the answer to what we are praying for has arrived?
Luke’s narrative of the Apostle Peter’s deliverance from certain death takes up most of Acts, chapter twelve. King Herod had arrested Peter and was keeping him imprisoned until the end of Passover, after which he planned to kill him, just to please the Jewish leaders. Peter spent the Days of Unleavened Bread chained between two guards in the most secure part of Herod’s prison, with another two armed guards standing outside his cell door. Peter was physically helpless in a situation where, to all appearances, escape was impossible.
From the time they heard the news of his capture, his Christian brothers and sisters had begun to pray for him earnestly. Their main concern no doubt was that James, the brother of John and one of the inner circle of the Lord’s disciples, had been captured and killed by Herod not long before. There was nothing to indicate that Peter would not suffer the same fate. Yet while Peter slept in chains, they prayed on into the night. If Herod were to kill Peter, it would be despite their prayer rather than the lack of it.
But in accord with God’s purpose for Peter, and in response to their prayers for him, an angel released the apostle. If we were to disregard Luke’s clear account of Peter’s deliverance from certain death, we would have to accept that Peter went to sleep in total bondage and awakened from a dream of deliverance to find himself totally free. Of course, we would not accept that because Peter’s actual arrival at the door of the house where people were praying would then defy explanation.
Yet this is exactly what will happen when a church prays that God will intervene miraculously to prevent injustice or oppression, yet at the same time does not accept that angelic intervention and supernatural effects are integral to situations in which the outcome is to be either life or death (in such cases there being nothing in between). Even Peter, the subject of their prayers, initially interpreted his deliverance as a vision rather than an actual experience. He saw himself being woken up by a nudge in the ribs from an angel.
Then he saw the chains drop off his wrists, leaving him free from the guards sleeping on either side of him. He heard the angel telling him to bind on his sandals and throw on his cloak, and then saw himself leaving first the cell and secondly the outer part of the prison. He saw himself approaching the main, iron gate of the prison, and saw it open of its own accord. Finally, he saw himself being escorted for about a block, before the angel vanished from his sight.
Well, he thought he was seeing these things, but they had actually happened. It was only when the angel vanished that Peter realized what he thought was a vision was a supernatural but very real experience – one he ought to share with the Christians still praying for him.
The supernatural element in Christianity is often thought of as mystical, as experiences which are other-worldly, unreal. Many theologians have forsaken miracles for mysteries.
Non-religious people see miracles as either amazing coincidences or as exciting medical breakthroughs. Few today define miracles in the way the Bible does. Churches that pray to God for miracles but do not expect literal answers to their prayers — answers as real as Peter’s knocks on the door and his familiar voice outside, are likely to scoff at the certainty of answers to prayer as literal as this. Such miracles would be too good to be true.
We can’t blame the maid Rhoda for being too excited at the sound of Peter’s voice to open the door and let him in. These were dangerous days in Jerusalem. No, the unbelief was in those who dismissed her as being out of her mind, and, when she persisted, attributed Peter’s voice to that of his angel (who by that time would have been standing back and scratching his head at their inconsistency). Peter’s angel might well have thought, ‘If you would just open the door and let Peter in, he would speak for himself!’
Literal and exact answers to prayer – as opposed to figurative and vague explanations as to why they are not answered – shock some Christians when God gives them exactly what they asked for.
Why should this surprise them? There are times when it seems like all our birthdays have come at once; that the very things we prayed for are suddenly coming to pass, not just apparently but undeniably. While praying earnestly for someone in need or something that’s desperately needed, why not stand ready to ‘open the door’ (so to speak) and welcome the very thing you’ve been praying for?
Many are praying for and expecting a spiritual awakening that will shake our nation out of its secular slumber with conviction of sin, of the Lord’s offer of righteousness, and of his judgement on sin. One that will be accompanied by miraculous signs and wonders.
More personally, what miraculous thing are you believing for and are expecting could arrive at any time? How will you respond when it does without notice? By opening the door with expectantly, or by closing the door with unbelief?