Saul of Tarsus, who had gone on a mission to bind Christians and commit them to prison, was coming to Damascus when a bright light blinded him. Falling to the ground, he heard the Lord speak to him to go into the city to receive further instruction. While there, he would be told what he must do. That instruction was to come from a man named Ananias. He was told where he could find Saul and that he would be praying (Acts 9:11). For three days, Saul had been praying (Acts 9:9) when Ananias comes to him.
Another man, named Cornelius, was a Gentile who “prayed to God always” (Acts 10:2). He was praying when an angel appeared to him to tell him that his prayers and alms had gone up for a memorial before God (Acts 10:4). Yet, this man was told to send for Peter, who is staying in Joppa. He would speak to him words he would be saved and all his house (Acts 11:13-14).
Both of these men were prayerful and God heard their prayers for salvation by sending them a human messenger with instruction concerning their salvation. These men were believers as is evidenced by their prayers, but there something additional that was given for them to do. They were commanded to be baptized into Christ, the same thing that was said in every instance of conversion in the Acts of the Apostles. Whether believers or discples (cf. Matthew 28:18-20), these men were told to be baptized in the name of Jesus. In the case of Cornelius, he was commanded to be baptized. In the case of Saul, he was told to tarry no more but get up and be baptized to wash away his sins. Whatever doctrine you uphold, if it contradicts the importance of baptism and its relevance to salvation, you must reconsider the accuracy of what you were taught. Luke makes a point of accentuating it in every instance of conversion. The answer to prayer was the sending of an earthen vessel to carry the precious cargo (the gospel) to two good and honest hearts who did not quibble about their instructions. Faith will always accept whatever God says regardless of whether it makes any sense or not.