Timeless Truths: Facing Life’s Gates
Timeless Truths: Facing Life’s Gates
February 23, 2003
Peter’s Miraculous Escape From Prison
1 It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. 2 He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. 3 When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread. 4 After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover. 5 So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. 6 The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. 7 Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists. 8 Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.” And Peter did so. “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,” the angel told him. 9 Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision.
Acts 12:1-9
All Scripture quotations are from the NIV.
The theme of this story is prayer.
- Peter’s friends were praying earnestly but NOT EXPECTANTLY.
- Discouragement of past “non-answers” to earnest prayer wilts our ability to pray effectively.
Here’s a formula to use during intercessory prayer.
- Listen carefully to God.
- Ask boldly your request.
- Trust completely in His wisdom.
Our Attitude Toward Our Situation
Peter was not anxious about the next day—he was sound asleep!
- Sometimes you have to look at seemingly impossible situations and deny them.
The angel left Peter outside the prison.
- God will do what we can’t do.
- He won’t do what we can do by ourselves.
Sometimes we are so intent on praying that we miss God’s answer.
- The believers praying for Peter missed his first knocks on the door.
There are no closed doors with to God
We need faith to ask God for the impossibleand be willing and waiting to accept His answer.
When we do the right thing, regardless of the circumstances, we give God an opportunity to work through us.
Bottom line:
If you’ve made something a matter of prayer,
stop making it a matter of care.
stop making it a matter of care.
Thanks to the late Reverend Tomas Goble for the essential teaching in this post.
Next Thursday's Timeless Truths Series - Wives, Don’t You Know?
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