Kept in but I'm not kept out!

Acts 12:5-8

King James Version Chapter 12

5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. 6 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.

Prison

As we unlock this text it is important that we understand where Peter was. He was locked in prison. Prison in the greek is pronounced (foo-ly-kaa) meaning to watch or detain. It does not follow the codes of our modern day penal system wherein prison was used as a penitentiary, prison was used as holding. temporary confinement, DETAINED. Peter was detained because they saw how it made the jews happy that they killed James and Peter was next… What do you do? When the folk that are supposed to be on your side get happy at your demise. The text might have been understandable if they would have said that the Gentiles were happy at the death of James, but the Jews? Its understandable that the world might want me gone; but what do you do when the folk that you call brother, sister, bishop, pastor, are happy when you are going through?

There are 4 guards to that are watching Peter and 2 that are chained 2 Peter. Yes! Peter is chained to 2 soldiers.

looking at this particular piece of the text gives us so much relevancy because of the panoramic view of the scripture. Peter is chained to the folk that want to keep him down. There are some things in your life that has but 1 assignment, to keep you bound. if you really being transparent you can bear witness of that, you been trying to get loose, you been running hiding twisting and turning trying to escape and free your self, but the truth of the matter is you chained to that spirit. And sometimes we can be so focused on the ones that are watching you, that you forget about the ones that you are chained to.

What are you chained to that is keeping you bound. Some of us don’t have to go to far to figure that out. You can go down your timeline, and see what you are chained to.

What are you chained up to that has you detained.

Lets go deeper, they are not chaining Peter for delay, they are chaining Peter to make sure that there is no way that he can get away. There is no connection in your life that is going to keep you consistent. It is going to take you up or down.

Someone has showed up to this meeting because the enemy has got you into temporary confinement and he is waiting on the 1st chance that he gets to take you out. But while he was being detained the good news is he was not denied. That is a celebration moment that even though the enemy detained you he couldn’t deny you.

High five 3 people and tell em, I won’t be denied......

Peter is detained in jail and he is waiting to be killed, But, the Church continued in prayer. note how the Church didn’t let set back stop their responsibility to pray. There was no one there to lay hands, they just prayed without ceasing. This is a situation that prayer changed things.

Peace

Prayer brought comfort in an uncomfortable situation.

Peter is waiting at this point to be killed; he is chained up, to two soldiers while two soldiers kept watch. You don’t have to be a brain surgeon to understand this next precept, that if you are going to be killed in the morning sleeping while chained to two soldiers is the last thing that would be on your mind. But prayer! Prayer has a way of bringing you a peace that you wouldn’t understand. But this is the most important part,

Peter wasn’t praying, he was being Prayed for!!!!

I have a new respect for that song, somebody prayed for me, had me on their mind , took the time and prayed for me. Modern day Church has gotten so independent that we have come to a new thought that says I don’t need nobody to pray for me, I an pray for myself, but you know what? i can pray for myself, but Im glad that somebody prayed for me. You should have lost your mind but somebody was praying. you you should have been chapter 13 by now, but somebody was praying. Thank God that the Church understands the value of Prayer.

There are somethings in your life that while everybody else looks at you and wonder how you making it, you are making it and it is all about somebody was praying for you.

Can you go and tell 3 people thank you for praying for me. Can you tell em that got me out......

Peter wasn’t trying to fight no more he has released this situation to God. Submitted to inevitability.

What did prayer do

Prayer released the power of God to:

covered him

the text say that the angel of the Lord came upon him, the reason we stand in our positions right now is not because of anything we have done, but there were some righteous prayers that were availing on our behalf.

Prayer raised him

raised him

the chains were broken, I thank God that its not just your individual prayers that causes chains to fall off. When he got up the chains fell off.

revelation (light) to guide him

Just like Jesus

They were being persecuted because they were followers of Christ, and when we look at the account of Peters deliverance we see the handy work of God all over it.

Even as we look at the wording of how the angel raised him, there are about 100 people in here that can testify with me that you have been in a situation that you could see no hope at all. But the Lord raised you up. And I have come to tell somebody in this house, if the Lord was raised Jesus, he is still in the raising business.