Miracles Happen When The Church Stick Together

Acts 12:5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. KJV.

To begin with Brothers and sisters, Christians Friends, Well Wishers and Saints of God I want to talk about

Miracles happen when the church stick together. Can you Imagine waking up to a miracle and having an angel for your alarm clock! That’s the center around the circumference of the circle of the issue that we’re talking about today. Has it ever been a time when the Good Lord showed you something just in the nick of time and it saved your life? Or an event of situation or circumstance or a condition that The Lord changed the dynamics sudden and that made all the difference in the world.

Brothers and sisters there are enemy forces out there that coming to destroy you. And the church said Amen. And what you better understand is, that those enemies are from without not from within. And I reject the statement that the enemy is from within. I believe that there are good people here and the Lord wants me to remind you’ll of that.

I am the Pastor United not the Chief Divider of God’s people. Well let’s look at scripture and see how this story unfolds. The bible says in 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.

I see several things here in the holy scriptures

1. In verse 1. Herod the king who was appointed by Rome sought to put his hands on GOD’S CHURCH.

2. Some elected officials do not believe in God nor stand for Christian principles no matter what they say. Talking about the enemy is from within. Herod sought to vex the Church of God.

3. And we may live to see in our life time prominent powerful people go against the church. I’m standing with the Church. And I’ve already told my family as for me and my house we will serve the Lord.

Then the bible says in verse 2. that Herod Killed James the brother of John with the sword. Now that’s gone too far. And the church said Amen. It’s gone too far because now you want to kill the preacher for preach Christ and Him crucified dead and buried and rose from the dead on the third day. Herod didn’t really believe in God or the new Christian Movement. No No No Herod was an atheist.

And atheist is a person who say that there is no God. But the bible says that Herod killed James with the sword. And verse 3 says because Herod saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.)

Lord have mercy. And this shows us that we have enemies from without. and we can’t afford to be enemies from with in. Also brothers and sisters family and friends we have to ask this pertinent question, Why did it please the Jews for Herod to take James’ life. Somebody ask me why Rev? Because the Jews Hated Jesus long after His death. The Jews hated anybody who stood up and said I’m a believer in Jesus the Christ. The Jews hated anybody that claimed that Jesus was equal with God. You better not say that Jesus was God’s Only Begotten Son. You’d better not say that Jesus was the Monoganes God 100% man and 100% God at the same time. You better not say that Jesus was Alpha and Omega.the Beginning and the Ending. You’d better not say that there is no other name under the heavens whereby men must be saved except the name of Jesus. Because saying those kinds of statements could get you killed!!! They Killed James and now they want ton kill Peter. Recently somebody did a litinous test . And the test said we want to see if there is evidence that Christians actually believe in Christ. The one who do would be killed or severely punished. And the man doing the test said that over half of the Christian Church failed based on our own doctrinal beliefs.

And that’s not all 75% of Seminary students from prestigious religious institutions don’t actually believe in a literal heaven or hell. I don’t know about you but I wouldn’t want any of them Pa storing me, because You can’t talk what you don’t know and you certainly can’t lead me where you won’t go yourself. I want somebody talking to me preaching to me and teaching me. That Jesus Christ is the real deal and that He’s the genuine article and that He’s the real McCoy. The last thing verse 3 teaches talks and tells us is that the only reason that Herod didn’t kill Peter was because of the unleavened Bread Feast. We just participated in our version of it last Sunday and we call it Communion. And the Church said Amen. And so Herod and the Jews locked Peter away in Jailed until after the feast of the Unleavened Bread.

And the Plan was to kill Peter then. Oh but as soon as the Church heard that Pastor Peter was put in jail by Herod and was going to be killed in a few days,, ,, Folk went to praying. Folk went to petitioning the Throne of Grace. Folk went to sincerely showing love one for the other. They had to be on one accord because the bible says if you got ought against your brother or your sister you got to fix that first before you think that God will answer any of your prayers. And I believe if I can get the church to buy into that truth then this church will get stronger in the Body of Christ. I’m the mail man. that delivering the message to the masses on behalf of the Master.

And they 4 guards that are guarding Peter around the clock. Shift 1, Shift 2, Shift 3, and Shift 4 So 4x4 is 16 guards watching Peter. In verse 4 the bible calls them Quaternions. It really only took two guard at the most to make sure Peter got in his prison cell and stayed locked up.

And we can speculate that maybe because Peter had chopped off malchus gauis’ ear in the garden of Gethsemane that he was a real threat.

Or that somehow when Jesus rose from the dead the soldiers that were there guarding Jesus’ tomb fell as dead men

Or lastly Herod and the Jews may have thought that them sneaky slick sly Christina lunatics would break Peter out of jail . Church whatever the case!!! They didn’t trust that something miraculous would happen… And all thee public needed to see was another miracle by them Christian at Easter time.

And so Peter gives in and settles in, in prison.In verse 5 the bible says Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.

Oh Miracles happen when the church stick together . Everybody was on one accord.The church went down in prayer. The church used it’s greatest power…Nothing else could have benefited Peter but the church sticking together.I hope you ain’t never got to come get me out of jail but if i went I sure hope that somebody in here cared enough to go down in prayer for me. And that somebody else would contact sister Allen with my bail money. The bible says they Prayed without ceasing.... They didn’t stop wouldn’t stop couldn’t stop praying together. You greatest strength as a church family is when you keep on praying together. I know prayer changes thing..3x. I have seen prayer turn things around…Moses & Joshua prayed,Daniel prayed, Elijah prayed , Hezekiah prayed,Paul and silas prayed. The bible says in verses prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.

The next things I see in the text is that God will deliver you just when the devil thinks he got you. Look at verses 6-10 “And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison. 7 And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. 8 And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. 9 And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision. 10 When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him.

1. Herod was about to bring Peter to trial.

2. Herod had armed guards watching Peter around the clock.

3.But Peter was fast asleep even with shackles and chains on him. And that says to us no matter what happens we ought to rest in the Lord without worry or anxiety. And the church said Amen.

And so in verse 7 a supernatural event occurred. Yeah an Angel from the Lord showed up with illuminating light. And The angel had specific instructions.

1. The Angel hit Peter and said Get Up! Arise up quickly because we got to get out of here.

2. The chains fell off of Peter. God knows how to set us free from our prison situations. and the church said Amen.

3. In verse 8 The Angel said Peter wake up and pull your self together Put on your shoes, put on your coat and then follow me. Peter obeyed the Angel without question And the church said Amen.

4. In verse 9 Peter thought he was a vision but he still followed the instructions of the Angel… Don’t miss that because In Our lives even if we don’t understand what God is doing it’s still better to be obedient to God’s will God’s word and God’s way. Then the final act of the Angel. The last bit of assistance from the angel in verse 10 The angel brought Peter past the first and second set of guards. Then when they came to the iron gate that separated them from the city. The Angel supernaturally opened the gate for both of them, and they went through it.

Then observe that critical fact “When they had walked down one street, the angel suddenly left him. In other words the Angel was sayings Alright Peter I’ve gotten you to where you ought to be, now you can do the rest. And Peter said Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.

And now we see faith in action. Because the Church is still praying together for Peter. They are at Mary’s house. And she’d the mother of John Mark. Folks there’s Power in praying together. Because a church that Prays together stays together. And so the bible says that Peter gets to the house where they were praying.13 Peter started knocking on the outside door, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answered the door. Verse 14  says that Rhoda was so excited When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so happy until she forgot to open the door for Peter. The bible says Rhoda ran inside and said wait ya’ll 3x “Pastor Peter is outside the door!” They said Rhoda girl you crazy.Peter ain’t out there. She said yes he is. And then they heard the knock at the door. They went out to see and when they saw Pastor Peter they were amazed they were astonished and began to shout… And Peter said shhhhh be quiet ya’ll Nobody knows I’m out of Prison but ya’ll .. Peter said the Lord has set me free from the hand of Herod. Church Miracles happen when the church sticks together.

And that’s the point we are a church family. Peter said church go show these things to James and the other brethren. In other words It’s no secret what my God can do..

I’m through when I say this Peter left and went to Caesarea and stayed there for a while. In other words Peter had sense enough to know that if he hung around that Herod would kill him. Because when the Morning came Herod cut up.. Yeah Herod killed all the guards that were guarding Peter, And that tells us how bad the devil wanted Peter dead..

If you keep on reading Acts 12 you’ll see how God dealt with Herod for his wicked ways. And I want to make sure I’m on the right side of history where God’s people are concerned. Because Miracles happen when the church sticks together.