The Miraculous Rescue of Peter in Acts 12:1-17

IMPERFECT PEOPLE IN PRAYER FOR AN IMPOSSIBLE MISSION Acts 12:1-17 CON TODO

When we arent functioning in all God has given us, we can t carry the weight of this world or win its battles.

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 pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Feast 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 Acts 12:1-4

Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover. prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. 5 So Peter was kept in 6 The night before Acts 12:1-3

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 . . . 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. They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. Acts 12:6-7,9

The gate opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him. 11 Then Peter came to himself and said, Now I know without a doubt that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me from Herod s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating. Acts 12:10-11

When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. 13 Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer the door. recognized Peter s voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, Peter is at the door! 14 When she Acts 12:12-14

Youre out of your mind, they told her. . .It must be his angel. 16 But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. 17 Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. Tell James [the brother of Jesus] and the brothers about this, he said, and then he left for another place. Acts 12:15-17

Peter was ALL IN with Jesus. Being ALL IN has . . . 1. led to an impossible & painful circumstance. 2. happened as Peter continues to be imperfect. 3. included staying surrendered to two things that are always part of the move of God.

We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word [Acts 6:3-4, NIV] and we to the prayer, and to the ministry of the word, will give ourselves continually [Acts 6:4, Young s Literal Translation]

1. The ministry of Gods Word together (Acts 6:4) Its not the listening of God s Word together. It s the surrendering to the ministry of the Word together. Until I come, devote yourselves to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching & teaching. 1 Timothy 4:13

As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is My Word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. [Isaiah 55:10-11]

In America today, churches use Scriptures to season what they already want to say instead of making it the substance of what should be said. That is why North America is one of only two continents on earth where Christianity is shrinking instead of growing. Preachers are only mouthpieces for what the true and living God is saying to His people through His Word in real time. Every week His true church needs to be ready to hear His instructions for His move! Dr. Vince Pitman

1. The ministry of Gods Word together 2. The prayer of God s people together Lord teach us to pray So, I say to all of you: Ask and it will be given; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you This is the confidence we have in God: if we ask anything according to His will [Word], he will hear us. (Luke 11:1,8, 1 John 5:14)

And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. [Revelation. 5:8]

The greatest workings of God come by corporate prayer, and we will not see the power of God manifested among us to transform the world around us until we pray together. God in His sovereignty has determined that something happens when we pray together that transcends praying separately. Rev. John Franklin

Peter was set free to be part of the move of God because the two arms of the church were working. The ministry of God s Word together The prayer of God s people together

ALL IN Prayer Acts 12:5,7, So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. . . and the chains fell off Peter s wrists. . . They came to the prison gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself Breaks every worldly power and frees each of us from every prison of the enemy

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil [Ephesians 6:12] The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds [2 Corinthians 10:4]

God rules the world and His church through the prayers of His people. That God should have made the extension of His kingdom to such a large extent dependent on the faithfulness of His people in prayer is a stupendous mystery and yet an absolute certainty. God calls for intercessors: in His grace He has made His work dependent on them. He waits for them. Andrew Murray (The Secret of Intercession)

ALL IN Prayer Acts 12:14-15 When she recognized Peter s voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, Peter is at the door! You re out of your mind, they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, It must be his angel. Must not only communicate with God but anticipate the move of God

The American church is powerless because it is prayerless. It expects nothing and that is what it gets. It uses prayer in services to transition between its points instead of making prayer based on the Word of God the entire point of the service. If we will cry out to God based on His Word & His mission in this world, we will see the church soar again! Pastor Jim Cymbala

ALL IN Prayer Acts 12:16, 2:4, 10:26 But Peter kept on knocking All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Its greatest work is not miraculous perfection but overwhelming presence. Peter made him get up. Stand up, he said, I am only a man myself.

The life, power and glory of the church is in prayer . . .the life of its members is dependent on prayer. The manifest presence of God is secured and retained in prayer! . . without it, the church is lifeless and powerless. The manifest presence of God can do in 5 minutes what people try to accomplish in 50 years! EM Bounds

God, thank You for forgiving me and coming into my life. Now, may I come more fully into Yours? I surrender to the corporate ministry of the Word and call to prayer I want to be ALL IN.