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The Power of Prayer, a Praying Church,we see how the Church prayed for Peter while he was in prison. It is time for a praying Church today, because of this sick sinful world we are living in. Prayer is key, to a Relationship with God, as scripture says Pray without ceasing 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18 Rejoice Always pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Prayer Changes Things.

This is what the church needs to be doing today for persecuted believers and trusting and expecting God to hear and answer our prayers. As we all know, so many believers have been mistreated and/or slaughtered for their faith. We must pray and expect that we will have an answer because God promised it. Mark 11:23-24 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. (24) Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. Lord, give us all the faith to believe that You will answer. Amen

Herod was persecuting and killing “some who belonged to the church” [Acts 12:1-3]. Peter was in prison and the church was praying. They had no other recourse. They couldn’t petition the government to release him. They had no political influence. They had no money to bribe Herod. But they could pray.
 Someone once wisely said, “The devil trembles when he sees the weakest saint upon his knees.”  This group offered fervent focused prayer to God, and God controls the universe.  The lesson here could be that our first response to everything, especially aggressive opposition, is to pray; and maybe call others to pray with us! 
Notice that their “Prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him” (v. 5). They prayed for Peter not only with intensity but with specificity. 
What did you pray for this morning? Many of our prayers, like “Lord, save the lost,” are so vague and open-ended that if God were to answer them we wouldn’t ever know it and if God didn’t answer them, well, we wouldn’t have to admit it. 
That's a pretty weak prayer-life. The lesson for us is to simply stop praying vague, general prayers. Get specific. When they prayed for Peter and the answer came, they knew it was an answer to prayer.  We should always expect a miraculous answer when we pray!

Thank God for answered prayers! Prayer is so very important to us Christians. The Word tells us to pray without ceasing, and with pray and supplication to let our request be made known. Where any two agree as touching anything they ask shall be done. What more can I say? PRAY!!!

Through prayer, we can speak with the Lord. The church, us Christians, need to pray as much as possible to keep our relationship with God strong.

The power of pray is very important. I think where I get mixed up is that many times God does not answer fast enough or he answers in a way that completely takes me by surprise. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth,so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."(Isaiah 55:8-9)

Constant, unrelenting prayer are also in other bible versions. This was a major crisis for the early church. James, one of the inner three, was now dead (Acts 12:2). The people knew that as soon as the 7 day feast was over, Peter, the leader of the church, would be next. This great urgency within the hearts of the Christians sent them into SERIOUS prayer over this issue. This may imply that a 24hr prayer chain went into effect. Miraculously, Peter's release happened late at night, while the prisoners were sleeping and the people were praying. My friends never stop praying. God answers prayer EVERY time. Sometimes the answer is yes, sometimes its no, and sometimes it's "wait". God's delays are not necessarily his denials. If you have to wait, he will strengthen your will, your character and your faith.