June 9th, 1993 “Call unto Me” Bro. G.B. Solomon

Acts 12:5 "Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him." This fervent prayer is a very good and healthy sign for a church. Last month we had our Summer Retreat. This month is a month of prayer. Next month will be the month of praise. In this month of prayer, let us all give glory to God and spend much time in prayer.

Jeremiah 33: 3 “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”Our duty is to call unto God. The Lord is willing to answer our prayers. The Bible says, “I will do those things which your minds never imagined.” Moses faced many great problems. He simply called unto God. He was given the assignment of leading many thousands of people from the land of Egypt to the land of Canaan. On the way, suddenly, they were stopped by the Red Sea. There seemed to be no way for them to go forward. So the people of Israel thought of going back. But, there was the army of Pharaoh behind them. They were sandwiched between these two barriers. Sometimes, we face problems like that in our lives. We feel that we are between the devil and the deep sea. What is the counsel of God? “Call unto me, and I will answer you and I will show you things which your minds cannot comprehend.” Moses followed that instruction and saw those great and mighty things.

The Lord said, “The people must not go back. They must only go forward. Under no circumstance are they to go back.” It is the same rule for us. Only forward! Why? Because Jesus said, “He that putteth his hand to the plough and turneth back, is not worthy of me.” Never look back. “Then, what to do with this Red Sea, O Lord?” God said, “You will see what I am going to do.” What happened? The Red Sea divided. Your problems and difficulties will flee from you. You must not run away from your difficulties. They will run away from you. That is the way true faith operates. Those thousands of people walked through the Red Sea on dry ground. This was beyond human imagination. “Call unto me and I will answer thee and show thee great and mighty things which you cannot understand.”

While Joshua was praying and fighting a great battle one day, the sun was about to set. If the sun had set, they would not be able to destroy all their foes. Many would slip away and go into hiding in the dark. So what did Joshua say? “Lord, in this great problem you must help us. You must stop the sun.” It is not easy to pray such a prayer. But the Lord says, “Call unto me. I will show you great things which you cannot understand.” What happened? The sun stayed on for a whole day. What a great God we have! Do not be discouraged when you are facing great difficulties. Do not allow any kind of discouragement. Spend much time in prayer.

Peter was clamped up in prison. It was the prison of Herod. Nobody could bring him out. I do not know if in the future, some of us may be put in prison. But do not be discouraged. What did those believers do? Prayer was made for him without ceasing. When much prayer is going on, it is a great protection for us. Peter was lying down and sleeping in the prison. He was ready to face any situation. But, he was needed for the work of God. You and I are needed for the work of God. Sometimes some sicknesses overtake us. We should not be discouraged. During these days when I have been ill, some of my brothers and sisters surrounded me with prayer. The servants of God took special care of me. I am very grateful to you for your Christian love. What a blessing it is to have brothers and sisters to surround us with prayer in the time of difficulties! It is such a wonderful blessing!

They were praying without ceasing. What a wonderful spirit of prayer was resting upon those people! What happened? The angel of God was sent down to help. When we are praying incessantly and faith fully, heaven becomes very busy on our behalf. One such angel was sent to this prison. And when Peter was sleeping, the angel went and touched him. One touch, and Peter was up and out of prison. Some people are awakened with just one touch of the Word of God. Nearly forty five years ago, just one sermon of the servant of God, senior Mr. Daniel, touched me. It was the first message I heard, and I woke up. I repented and came to the Lord.

But some people sleep on even when an angel comes to them. When Abraham prayed, two angels were sent to Sodom to rescue the family of Lot. But, they were so deeply attached to Sodom, that they were not able to come out. They were delaying and lingering. It was time for the fire and brimstone to fall and destroy the city with its people, and they were still delaying. Some people have gone so deep into the world that they tend to delay and delay. But Abraham's prayer was very powerful. The Lord could not let it go unheeded. The angels of God held Lot's hand and his wife’s and daughters’, and pulled them out. When we pray faithfully, and our prayers are well-pleasing to God as the prayers of Abraham, our prayers will pull people from the sinful currents that are sweeping them away to destruction. So do not be discouraged and say, “my people are not touched. There is no possibility of bringing them out of the world. They are just stuck and unable to come out.” Do not be discouraged. George Muller prayed for one soul for fifty years. After fifty years, he was converted. What a persevering and patient prayer! Let us also pray like that.

After the angel of God brought Peter out from the prison, he went to the house of John Mark. That was a faithful home, and all the children of God were praying there. Peter knocked at the door. A little gir1 came and heard his voice. With great joy, she went and told all the people, “Peter is already come and is at the door.” What did they say? "You are a mad girl. Is it so easy for Peter to come out of Herod's prison?" They could not believe. That is why the Word of God says, “I will do those things which you cannot believe or imagine.” The Word of God is true.

So, in this month of prayer, let us spend much time in asking the Lord to deliver our people from the prison of an evil life. It is a great privilege to have a month allotted for prayer. For many years, the servants of God have spent this month in prayer. Let us give much importance to this month. Let us see the victory of God in our homes and in the homes of other people.