We hope you enjoy this re-post from July 4, 2013. Be blessed! The Today’s Quote From God Team

So Peter was kept in prison, but fervent prayer for him was persistently made to God by the church (assembly). – Acts 12:5, AMP

The persecution of the early church was in full swing, and Peter was the latest catch in the net of Herod the king. Fresh off of murdering the Apostle James, Herod had captured Peter and was ready to reunite him with the now-deceased son of Zebedee. Acts 12 records Peter’s miraculous rescue at the hands of one of God’s angels, but prior to the rescue, Acts 12:5 identifies an extremely important piece of the rescue plan – the fervent prayer of the church.

Although God can perform a miracle any time He wants, there are countless examples in the Bible – just like in Acts 12 – where God waits to act until His people ask for His help. And in those examples where man’s prayer precedes God’s power, we won’t find God responding to half-hearted, casual pleas for help. He responds to passionate, fervent pleas for help, just like the kind we find in Acts 12.

Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines “fervent” as:

1 : very hot : glowing
2 : exhibiting or marked by great intensity of feeling : zealous*

When our cries for help are hot, glowing, and intense, we communicate to our Savior that our faith in Him is real and our dependence upon Him is complete. When our prayers lack such character, it is because our faith is weak and our reliance on self gets in the way. As Matthew 9:29 teaches us, God responds to our pleas in direct proportion to our faith in His ability to answer our requests. So, which kind of prayers do you think will invite miracles – casual or fervent?

Do you need a miracle in your life? It may or may not be God’s will for you to have the miracle you want. But one thing is certain: you won’t have a chance to experience God’s miracle-making power unless you ask for it fervently, with total faith in Christ and zero reliance on self.

When was the last time you prayed like that?

* Merriam-Webster Dictionary iPad App