The Apostles faced opposition as they tried to move the Savior’s work forward. James was martyred at Herod’s command, while Peter was imprisoned but then delivered by an angel in answer to prayers from Church members. This lesson is intended to help you develop greater trust in Heavenly Father and His answers to prayer.
Positively acknowledging students’ responses. Acknowledge student responses with a simple “thank you” or by complimenting something specific in their response. Doing so will help show students that their contributions are valued and essential to the learning experience. This can help students feel more comfortable sharing answers, insights, and experiences in the future.
Student preparation: Invite students to come prepared to share an experience where prayers were answered the way they or others had hoped and an experience where prayers were seemingly unanswered or answered in a different way than hoped.
Possible Learning Activities
Different outcomes
Be sensitive to the circumstances of students, and adjust the following scenarios accordingly. Remind students to refer to their preparation for class throughout the lesson.
Think about different ways people might respond to the following situations:
A young man prays diligently for many years for his father to be healed of cancer, but his father does not recover.
A young woman prays fervently for her mother to be healed of cancer, and after years of struggling, her mother miraculously recovers.
When have you or others had prayers that were not answered in the way hoped for?
How did you respond?
How did your degree of trust in Heavenly Father influence your response?
In your study journal, identify miracles or blessings that you are seeking. Think about how placing greater trust in God could influence your life for the better. As you study, look for truths and examples that can help you develop greater trust in Heavenly Father and His answers to prayers.
Persecution of Church members
As the gospel continued to spread, Church members and leaders were persecuted by Roman and Jewish leaders. Some Church leaders, such as Peter and John, were miraculously delivered by God (see Acts 5:17–21), while others, like Stephen, were not (see Acts 7:54–60).
Imagine yourself as a Church member during these events as you read Acts 12:1–4. The word vex means to oppress or harm. Verse 4 means that Herod placed 16 soldiers to guard Peter while planning to publicly execute him later.
What feelings and questions might you have had as a Church member at this time?
Read Acts 12:5, and look for how Church members responded.
Why might it have been challenging to exercise faith by praying for Peter?
What do you think Church members understood about Heavenly Father that motivated them to do this?
Read Acts 12:6–11, and look for how the prayers of Church members were answered.
What feelings or thoughts might you have experienced if you had witnessed this answer to prayer?
How might an event like this impact your trust in Heavenly Father?
What truths about prayer can we learn from this account?
Sincere and fervent prayer
One truth we can learn from this account is that our sincere and fervent prayers invite God’s miracles and blessings into our lives and the lives of others.
If students would benefit from an example, consider sharing a personal experience, the following example shared by President Ballard, or “Principles of Peace: Prayer” (2:49), which can be found on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
Miracles resulting from faithful prayer are often small and simple rather than big and dramatic.
You may want to view “Watch Ye Therefore, and Pray Always” from time code 12:17 to 13:07, which can be found on ChurchofJesusChrist.org, or read the following statement to see a miracle from prayer in the life of President M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
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President M. Russell Ballard
I know the power of prayer by my own experience. Recently I was alone in my office. I had just gone through a medical procedure on my hand. It was black and blue, swollen, and it was painful. As I sat at my desk, I could not focus on important and critical matters because I was distracted by this pain.
I knelt in prayer and asked the Lord to help me focus so I could accomplish my work. I stood and returned to the pile of papers on my desk. Almost immediately, clarity and focus came to my mind, and I was able to complete the pressing matters before me.
What experiences have you or others had where God has answered prayers?
What did these experiences teach you about Heavenly Father’s desires and feelings for you and others?
How have these experiences influenced your desire and ability to trust in Heavenly Father?
As students respond, thank them for sharing their experiences and insights, and help them understand how meaningful their contributions are to the class.
Trusting in God
Read Acts 12:12–17 to see how this account concludes. Keep in mind that the James mentioned in verse 17 is not the same James mentioned in verse 2.
Sometimes prayers are not answered in the way we hope. The martyrdom of James may be one such example. The Saints at this time had probably prayed for James as well, but he was still killed by Herod (see Acts 12:2).
Reflect on the scenarios from the beginning of the lesson and times in your own life when God did not answer your prayers in the way you hoped.
What do you know about Heavenly Father that can help you trust in Him in these situations?
President Dallin H. Oaks of the First Presidency taught something that can be helpful when our prayers may not be answered in the way we hope. You may want to watch “Healing the Sick” from time code 15:19 to 16:55 or read the following statement.
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President Dallin H. Oaks
As children of God, knowing of His great love and His ultimate knowledge of what is best for our eternal welfare, we trust in Him. The first principle of the gospel is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and faith means trust. I felt that trust in a talk my cousin gave at the funeral of a teenage girl who had died of a serious illness. He spoke these words, which first astonished me and then edified me: “I know it was the will of the Lord that she die. She had good medical care. She was given priesthood blessings. Her name was on the prayer roll in the temple. She was the subject of hundreds of prayers for her restoration to health. And I know that there is enough faith in this family that she would have been healed unless it was the will of the Lord to take her home at this time.” I felt that same trust in the words of the father of another choice girl whose life was taken by cancer in her teen years. He declared, “Our family’s faith is in Jesus Christ and is not dependent on outcomes.” Those teachings ring true to me. We do all that we can for the healing of a loved one, and then we trust in the Lord for the outcome.
(Dallin H. Oaks, “Healing the Sick,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2010, 50)
What did President Oaks teach that you feel would be important to remember? Why?
Based on what you learned today, write a journal entry addressing one or more of the following prompts:
What you learned about Heavenly Father that increases your trust in Him
What you learned about prayer that you want to remember
Impressions you received from the Holy Ghost on how to improve your own prayers or how you could seek to trust Heavenly Father more
After students have had sufficient time to write, invite them to share their journal entries in pairs or small groups. Conclude by bearing personal testimony of Heavenly Father and His ability and willingness to answer prayers in His own time and way. Invite willing students to bear testimony as well.
Commentary and Background Information
What do we need to understand when answers to prayer don’t seem to come?
Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained:
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Elder Richard G. Scott
When answers to urgent prayer don’t seem to come, it can be that we don’t understand some truths about prayer, or because we don’t recognize answers when they come. …
… He hears every prayer and answers it in His way.
In the scriptures we learn that the First Presidency is upheld by “the confidence, faith, and prayer of the church” (see Doctrine and Covenants 107:22). While serving as President of the Church, Thomas S. Monson (1927–2018) shared, “As I have mentioned at previous conferences, I thank you for your prayers in my behalf. I need them; I feel them” (“God Be with You Till We Meet Again,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2012, 111).
Supplemental Learning Activities
Acts 12–14. The Lord will accomplish His work regardless of opposition to it
Invite students to choose one of the following stories from Acts 12–14 and to look for how the Lord’s work was opposed, how the Lord helped His people through the opposition, and how the work still progressed.
Students could watch “Defenders of the Faith” (6:56), available on ChurchofJesusChrist.org, where a young woman helps the missionaries move the Lord’s work forward despite opposition. Students could then share examples they have seen of the Lord’s work moving forward despite opposition in our day. Then they could watch “The Truth of God Shall Go Forth” from time code 12:07 to 16:03 to see President M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles share several examples of what they can do to help the Lord’s work move forward.
Purposes of opposition
Consider focusing this lesson on the purposes of opposition and how opposition can prepare us for the kingdom of God (see Acts 14:22) by helping us become more like Jesus Christ. After students understand that Peter, Paul, and Barnabas all faced opposition, invite students to identify truths in Acts 14:22; 2 Nephi 2:11; Doctrine and Covenants 122:7–9. Also show the video “The Prophet Joseph Smith,” available on ChurchofJesusChrist.org, from time code 3:08 to 4:15. Ask students to share what they saw in the video about why opposition comes.