Open The Door, Jesus Changes Everything

Acts 12:3–6 NKJV

And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread. So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover. Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison.

Prayer Covering Is Powerful

So here we find Peter in a terrible predicament! He’s in what we will call maximum security prison, likely looking down the barrel of execution. He’s been assigned 4 squads of soldiers consisting of 4 soldiers per squad. They would stand guard for 3 hours at a time. He had likely had chains on each wrist, positioned between two soldiers with two more outside the prison door. Let's just say that Peter isn’t going anywhere under his own power!

All hope is not lost though. We find in verse 12 that a large number of believers have gathered together for prayer. Verse 5 says this isn’t just some casual prayer meeting, it’s a chain-breaking, prison-shaking fervent prayer meeting!

Acts 12:7–11 NKJV

Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands. Then the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and tie on your sandals”; and so he did. And he said to him, “Put on your garment and follow me.” So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him. And when Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.”

Jesus Moves Behind The Scenes

When all hope could’ve easily been lost, they continued to pray against all odds. Without the believers even knowing, God moved! The prayers worked and the Lord delivered Peter from the chains that bound him. He set him free. The angel loosed those chains and led him through every iron gate intended to keep him enslaved!

Acts 12:12–14 NKJV

So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying. And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer. When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate.

So here Peter stands knocking at the door, delivered and free. It’s easy to say to ourselves why didn’t she just open the door for him, she was terribly excited and couldn’t wait to tell everyone! Perhaps the Lord wanted us to pay attention to this last part of this story.

Acts 12:15–19 NKJV

But they said to her, “You are beside yourself!” Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, “It is his angel.” Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. But motioning to them with his hand to keep silent, he declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Go, tell these things to James and to the brethren.” And he departed and went to another place. Then, as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers about what had become of Peter. But when Herod had searched for him and not found him, he examined the guards and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judea to Caesarea, and stayed there.

You Better Believe Jesus Is A Miracle Worker

I find it amazing that they were praying for his deliverance and they were told it worked and they didn’t believe it. I think too many times we’re so preoccupied with going through the motions of things that we fail to believe in what we’re asking God to do. This wouldn’t even be a big deal if Peter had just walked through the door, but this was the door God intended the believers to open. This would be the only door that God didn’t open that night. Sometimes God has worked all things together for our good and all He’s waiting for is for us to open the door!

Revelation 3:20 NKJV

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

God loves to move on our behalf and work things out for us. Don't forget to open the door when you’ve been praying for a breakthrough, deliverance, provision, healing, salvation, etc. We must take those steps of faith, we can’t afford to be paralyzed in unbelief.

We often try and force things to happen when we should have just tried the handle. One rule we have at the Fire Dept. is before we force entry to a burning home always try the knob first. You’d be surprised how often it’s unlocked!

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