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Peter Delivered From Prison Acts 12:1 ¶ Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. 2 And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. 3 And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.) Herod, who was not a Jew and who had previously dealt harshly with the Jews, now courted their favor. He killed James the brother of John and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he determined go further and kill Peter. Of course it was Passover time and it wouldn't be fitting to shed blood on Passover. So he sent sixteen soldiers to arrest Peter and committed him to prison until the holy days were ended (How hypocritical). This caused the church to go to earnest corporate prayer. While Peter was sleeping chained to two soldiers, an angel appeared and caused the chains to fall off and after commanding Peter to get dressed, led him out of the prison to the front iron gate. The gate presented no barrier but rather opened without human assistance. Peter knocked on the door of the house where the church was praying for his release. A young girl named Rhoda answered the door and recognized Peter. She ran inside to tell the others who replied that she was mad or perhaps had just seen Peter's ghost. When Peter finally got inside he related all of what had happened and instructed that they should tell James and the other church leadership. He then departed to another place. So what do we make of this story? Jesus, in giving the Parable of the Unjust Judge told us that men should pray always without fainting and that God would avenge His elect who cry day and night unto Him, even though He delays in answering (Luke 18:1-8). Somebody has said that God can withhold nothing from a praying church. John Wesley said that God could do nothing except in answer to prayer (I'm not sure I agree with that totally, but it is something to thing about. At any rate, I know that I don't pray enough. I Thesolonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing. Romans 12:12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Ephesians 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; Colossians 4:2 ¶ Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; 1Peter 4:7 ¶ But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. Would Peter have been delivered if the church had not been praying? I don't know, but if he had died and the church had not bothered to pray, would they not have to answer for that at the judgment seat of Christ (Romans 14:10 II Corinthians 5:10)? What about the praying disciples refusing to accept the fact that Peter had been delivered? Was their prayer simply an empty form? I don't think so. We all have struggles between faith and unbelief. Their faith told them that God could deliver but their reasoning said that Peter was locked up rather securely. I remember routinely praying for my infant granddaughter who had an extremely high fever and was unresponsive. At the mention of the name of Jesus she climbed out of bed and ran through the house. The fever had left her and I was in total shock. Perhaps the church had forgotten that Peter had previously been delivered from prison at the hand of an angel (Acts 5:17-25). We do have short memories sometimes, don't we? Acts 12:20 ¶ And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king’s chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king’s country. 21 And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. 22 And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. 23 And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost. Herod commanded that the keepers of the prison be put to death. Perhaps he thought that he would just forget the whole incident. He was in for a rude awakening. God has a long memory and Herod was soon to get his due. One day he was setting upon his throne in his fine royal apparel and gave a speech to a crowd. The crowd began to shout, "It is the voice of a god and not of a man." Herod probably felt pretty good about this, but God felt otherwise. An angel of the Lord smote Herod dead. Herod who persecuted the church and exalted himself as a god found out that he was no match for the God of heaven, who declared that He would not give his glory to another (Isaiah 42:8). We remember that Jesus declared that He would build His church and the gates of hell would not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18). An endless list of godless rulers have tried to stamp out the church and they have all failed, just like Herod. Acts 12:24 But the word of God grew and multiplied. Meanwhile the church of Jesus marches on in victory. There was a preacher that was trying to sell his horse. A potential buyer came to the church for a test ride. "Before you start" the preacher said,"You should know that this horse only responds to church talk. Go is 'Praise the Lord' and Stop is 'Amen'." So the man on the horse says "Praise the Lord," and the horse starts to trot. The man again says "Praise the Lord," and the horse starts to gallop. Suddenly there is a cliff right in front of the horse and the man yells "Amen!!!" The horse stops just at the edge of the cliff. The man wipes the sweat from his brow and says "Praise the Lord." Keep Looking Up! Don and Marie Spooner About Him! Ministries Your thoughts and Inquiries Contact@about-him.com Subscribe to this devotional? Subscribe@about-him.com
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