God Is Up To Something

GOD IS UP TO SOMETHING - ACTS 12:1-18

INTRO: When you’re down to nothing, God is Up to Something!

YES! God is up to something. There is a reason why you’ve gone through what you’ve gone through. TRUST HIM and TRUST HIS PLAN.

Since God Is Up To Something He Will Relinquish You For His Bigger Plan. - Acts 12:1-6

Relinquish = give you over; surrender to you hardship, but always with His protection.

James was executed and Peter was placed in prison. Herod’s plan was to execute Peter too. But Peter was frightened; he was patient in the prison. SLEEPING. He trusted in God; remembered the ship when Jesus was sleeping.

God allowed Peter to be placed in prison for His bigger plan.

Joseph-surrendered to prison; totally innocent; after the baker and cupbearer Joseph was imprisoned 2 years.

God used the trials Joseph endured to bring about something good: “the saving of many lives,” including those of his brothers who had hated him so much (Genesis 50:20).

We can learn a lot from the patient endurance of Joseph during the hardships he experienced in Egypt and trust that God is using all situations for His and our good (Romans 8:28).

Since God Is Up To Something He Will Release You According to His Plan. - Acts 12:7-10

Release = enable escape from confinement.

The chains fell off ONLY after Peter was obedient.

God wants to RELEASE us from the chains that have held up captive. Chains of immorality; financial instability; mental incapability.

In order for your chains to fall off you must be OBEDIENT. Get UP! GET DRESSED! Let’s GO!

JN 5 - Jesus and the Man Lying there for 38 years. “DO You want to get well.” THEN GET UP!

God wants to RELEASE you ACCORDING TO HIS PLAN. Don’t continue to lay in your misery; FOLLOW HIM.

Since God Is Up To Something He Will Raise Your Faith According to His Plan. Acts 12:11-17

Raise=elevate; next level; take a risk

Ruth Westheimer - “My favorite animal is the turtle. The reason is that in order for the turtle to move, it has to stick its neck out. There are going to be times in your life when you’re going to have to stick your neck out.”

FAITH - Contrary to what the world thinks about faith, nowhere in the Bible are we told to have blind faith. Christian faith is simply believing in what we cannot see (Hebrews 11:1), but this does not mean we should believe in things that there is no evidence for.

Peter’s faith was based in the EVIDENCE that Jesus is Lord. He taught the disciples “Do not let your hearts be troubled, believe in God believe also in Me.” Jn 14-1

V. 11.

SO, God used Peter’s imprisonment to RAISE his faith…but also the Church’s faith.

v. 12-15 - Praying for God to move; He moves; But the CHURCH doesn’t believe.

God is ready to move in your life…DO YOU BELIEVE HIM? or do you believe the circumstance you’re in?

God wants to raise YOUR LEVEL of FAITH so you will know the Truth of His great Love for You.

CLOSE:

Since God Is Up To Something He Will Relinquish You For His Bigger Plan.

It’s not about You, It’s all about GOD! Chill Out!

Since God Is Up To Something He Will Release You According to His Plan.

God will not abandon you in distress. He will provide a way of escape.

Since God Is Up To Something He Will Raise Your Faith According to His Plan.

God is always with us. We have to believe in HIM for our every need.