Every human on this earth has at one point in time or the other had a need or desire that they prayed and hoped about in one way, shape or form. The interesting thing though is – are we able to recognize and lay hold (grab) the answer to our prayer when it comes?
In Acts 12, Herod killed James (one of the apostles) and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he went ahead to arrest Peter as well and was going to bring him before the Jews after passover. In the interim, Peter was under ‘lock and key’. He was chained and was kept between 2 guards and other guards placed outside the door – enough controls to ensure he didn’t escape. However, when Peter got arrested after James’s killing, the church arose and prayed continually for Peter.
Fast forward to the night before Herod was going to bring him before the people. The church is still praying for Peter and an angel comes to the prison, sets Peter free from the chains, walks him past the prison doors and iron gate which although was locked, opened of its own accord and Peter eventually gets to the house where the church was praying for him – this is where it gets more interesting.
Peter knocks on the gate to his ‘place of solace’ and when Rhoda came to the gate and heard Peter’s voice, she didn’t open the gate but went back to tell the others he was at the gate. Now recall that they had been prayer for Peter right. Yet, when Rhoda said Peter was at the door, they didn’t believe. In fact they said “she was mad”. Let’s pause… weren’t these the same people praying for Peter? When they prayed, what did they expect was going to happen? Or were they just fulfilling all righteousness? I don’t think they were since God is able to do more than we ask or thing so deep down in their heart, they really wanted Peter saved. So why the disbelief that Peter was at the door? Could it be that the way they expected the prayer answered wasn’t the way it came? Could it be that it was too sudden for them? Could it be that the disbelief was out of overflowing joy? Whatever the reason, they left Peter (the answer to their prayer) outside and didn’t let him in. Peter had to keep on knocking for them to eventually consider it might really be him and then they eventually let him in. Now, imagine Peter left after a few knocks. Would they have seen and taken delivery of the answer to their prayers?
Now I ask myself and you this question. Are there prayers God has answered but we didn’t take delivery of because it didn’t come in the package we wanted, the way we wanted, the time we wanted etc., or just because it felt too good to be true and we thought it couldn’t be? Are there answers to your prayers knocking at the door right now (literally staring you in the face, right there around you) but you are refusing the open the door for whatever reason?
That answer won’t stand at the door and knock forever. You have to play your part and open the door for it to come in. You have to take the required action to lay hold of the answer that God has delivered to your door. Just as Jesus says in Rev 3:20 (Behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him and he with me), so it is with the answer to your prayer. You don’t enjoy the blessing until you take action and ‘open the door’.
I pray that we will have open eyes and ears to see and hear the answer to prayers that are knocking on the door and receive the grace and faith to immediately swing the door open and begin enjoying the blessings of the answered prayers. Amen.
Remain connected to the vine.
Bolaji Ajayi
And the word became flesh 