There are times when we are doing everything right and we end up in bondage. We lose our freedom. Peter was preaching the Gospel. Peter was healing the sick. Peter was obeying the call and mission of God for his life. Anytime that someone begins to walk in obedience to God, the enemy will try to stop him or her. The religious Pharisees hated the truth of the followers of Jesus. The Pharisees wanted to destroy the church. “It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover. ” (Acts 12:1–4, NIV84)
Peter was arrested because he was passionate about serving Christ. Peter was arrested because his faith was real and he would not play the games of the religious hypocrites. Peter’s spiritual obedience caused him to become engaged in a spiritual battle to destroy him. The hope was that by destroying the people of faith, the church and its mission would be stopped.
“So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. ” (Acts 12:5, NIV84) The church recognized this was a spiritual battle. The church began to pray in unity. They prayed with fervor. The prayed without ceasing. They prayed as intercessors. They prayed believing that their prayers would be effective. “as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many. ” (2 Corinthians 1:11, NIV84) They prayed by the power of the Holy Spirit. “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. ” (Ephesians 6:18, NIV84)
Today, many times, when someone is struggling and finding themselves in bondage, the church fails to pray. The church does not recognize that it must uphold those in battle in prayer. Many times today, the church will condemn those in bondage and attribute the bondage to sin. This is wrong. We must pray and intercede for our brothers and our sisters. The strength of our prayer and love for those in bondage is the key to victory.
Because the church prayed intensely for Peter, the church gained the victory. “The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists. Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.” And Peter did so. “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,” the angel told him. 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. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him. ” (Acts 12:6–10, NIV84)
Peter thought that at first, he was dreaming. Peter did not know that he was walking into spiritual freedom until later. His response showed that he was aware that this was a spiritual battle against the Pharisees. “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 12:11, NIV84) Peter then shared the testimony with the church and encouraged their faith.
What happened next is interesting. Those who had charge over Peter, those who were to keep Peter in bondage ended up being destroyed. “In the morning, there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. After Herod had a thorough search made for him and did not find him, he cross-examined the guards and ordered that they be executed. Then Herod went from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there a while. ” (Acts 12:18–19, NIV84)
There are times when you may find yourself in a spiritual battle. You may feel like you are in bondage. You must appeal to the church to intercede for you. There is great power in the agreement and prayer of the church. You may find that when your chains fall off and you walk in freedom again, that those who held you in bondage may be destroyed.
In my own life, there was a season where I was falsely accused. These accusations were unfounded but their impact was to place me in a place of loss and bondage. God brought Christians into my life who prayed and interceded. As the chains fell off of my life, I watched how the lives of everyone who tried to destroy me become destroyed. “Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest. ” (Proverbs 26:2, NIV84)
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