Prayer is more than just a ritual or a duty. It is a powerful way of communicating with God and receiving His guidance, wisdom, and blessings. Prayer can also change our hearts, minds, and perspectives, as it did for Apostle Peter in Acts 10:9-20. In this article, we will explore how prayer influenced Peter’s life and opened the door for the gospel to reach the Gentiles.
The Power of Prayer and Apostle Peter's Vision
Prayer is the lifeline that connects us to God. It is through prayer that we can express our needs, desires, praises, and confessions to Him. It is also through prayer that we can hear His voice, see His vision, and feel His presence. Prayer can transform our situations, heal our diseases, strengthen our faith, and align our wills with His. As the psalmist declared, “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” (Psalm 145:18 NIV).Acts 10:9-20 tells us the remarkable story of how prayer changed Peter’s life and the course of history. Peter was a devout Jew who followed the law of Moses and the traditions of his ancestors. He believed that the gospel was only for the Jews and that the Gentiles were unclean and unworthy of God’s salvation. However, God had a different plan. He wanted to show Peter that He loved and accepted people from every nation, tribe, and tongue. He wanted to use Peter as an instrument to preach the gospel to the Gentiles and welcome them into His family.
To prepare Peter for this mission, God gave him a vision while he was praying on the rooftop of a house in Joppa. He saw a large sheet coming down from heaven, containing all kinds of animals, birds, and reptiles. He heard a voice saying, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.” (Acts 10:13 NIV). Peter was shocked and refused, saying, “Surely not, Lord! I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” (Acts 10:14 NIV). The voice replied, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” (Acts 10:15 NIV). This happened three times, and then the sheet was taken back to heaven.
The vision was a symbolic message from God, telling Peter that he should not reject or judge the Gentiles based on their dietary or cultural differences. God had cleansed them by His grace and made them acceptable to Him. Peter was to obey God and share the gospel with them without hesitation or discrimination. This was a radical revelation for Peter, who had been taught to avoid any contact with the Gentiles. It challenged his worldview and his understanding of God’s plan. It also fulfilled the promise of Jesus, who said, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7 NIV).
The Importance of a Personal Relationship with God
The vision that Peter received was not a random or isolated event. It was the result of his personal relationship with God, which he cultivated through regular and sincere prayer. Peter was not a perfect man. He had his flaws and failures. He denied Jesus three times, he argued with the other disciples, he doubted the resurrection, and he struggled with fear and pride. But he also loved Jesus with all his heart, and he followed Him with all his strength. He was humble, teachable, and willing to change. He sought God’s will and direction in everything he did. He prayed fervently and faithfully, and he listened attentively and obediently to God’s voice.A personal relationship with God is the foundation of our spiritual life. It is the source of our joy, peace, and purpose. It is the way we grow in our knowledge, love, and likeness of God. It is the way we discover and fulfill our destiny in God’s kingdom. Without a personal relationship with God, we are like sheep without a shepherd, lost and wandering in the dark. Without a personal relationship with God, we are like branches without a vine, dry and fruitless. Without a personal relationship with God, we are like lamps without oil, dim and useless.
How to Start and Maintain a Personal Relationship with God
A personal relationship with God begins with repentance and faith. We need to acknowledge our sins and our need for a Savior. We need to believe that Jesus died for our sins and rose again for our justification. We need to confess Him as our Lord and Savior and invite Him into our hearts and lives. This is the first and most important step to becoming a child of God and a member of His family.But this is not the end of the journey. It is only the beginning. We need to continue to grow in our relationship with God by spending time with Him in prayer, reading His word, worshiping Him, and obeying His commands. We need to talk to Him and listen to Him every day, as we would with a friend or a parent. We need to share our joys and sorrows, our hopes and fears, our praises and requests with Him. We need to seek His guidance, wisdom, and will for our lives. We need to trust Him, depend on Him, and follow Him wherever He leads us.
The Benefits of Prayer
Prayer is not a burden or a duty. It is a privilege and a blessing. Prayer is not a one-way or a monotonous conversation. It is a dynamic and a diverse dialogue. Prayer is not a passive or a powerless activity. It is an active and a powerful weapon. Prayer can do wonders in our lives and in the lives of others. Here are some of the benefits of prayer:
- Prayer connects us to God and His presence. When we pray, we draw near to God and He draws near to us. We experience His love, grace, and peace. We enjoy His fellowship and friendship. We sense His joy, comfort, and strength. We receive His forgiveness, healing, and restoration.
- Prayer aligns us with God and His purposes. When we pray, we submit to God and His sovereignty. We acknowledge His greatness and His goodness. We praise His name and His works. We worship His majesty and His holiness. We surrender our plans and our desires to His plans and His desires. We conform our thoughts and our actions to His thoughts and His actions.
- Prayer empowers us for God and His service. When we pray, we receive God’s power and His authority. We access His resources and His promises. We claim His victory and His inheritance. We overcome His enemies and His obstacles. We advance His kingdom and His glory. We fulfill His mission and His commission.
