Acts 12:6 The night before Peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep, fastened with two chains between two soldiers. Others stood guard at the prison gate. 7 Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel struck him on the side to awaken him and said, “Quick! Get up!” And the chains fell off his wrists. 8 Then the angel told him, “Get dressed and put on your sandals.” And he did. “Now put on your coat and follow me,” the angel ordered. 9 So Peter left the cell, following the angel. But all the time he thought it was a vision. He didn’t realize it was actually happening. 10 They passed the first and second guard posts and came to the iron gate leading to the city, and this opened for them all by itself. So they passed through and started walking down the street, and then the angel suddenly left him.
Just in case you were wondering, God's power is still real!! Sometimes we read scripture and we discount the power so much it lessens our faith in that power. God is here and He is still on His throne, but is He on the throne room of your heart? If He isn't you may have a tendency to doubt His power and thus weaken your faith and your walk. The above scripture is not just a story, but THE story of how God's presence showed up to release Peter from prison and probably certain death. Herod had already killed James and he saw the people liked it and imprisoned Peter. A group of believers began praying for Peter's release and God presense was felt and released by an angel coming to that prison and leading Peter right out of there. I thought it was cool that the angel was very tidy when releasing Peter. In verse 8 “Get dressed and put on your sandals.” And he did. “Now put on your coat and follow me,” the angel ordered.
The angel not only released Peter from his chains, but then he made sure Peter remembered his sandals because he was releasing Peter to continue traveling wherever to share the message of hope, so he needed footwear. The angel even opened the gate ahead of Peter to release him completely. God doesn't do anything half way and the proof is in this depiction of God's presence showing up. But why do we doubt God's power? We tend to think more in the natural than we do in the spiritual, so we miss the spiritual part of God's presence because we are not looking for it. The very salvation we receive when we are born again is a very spiritual experience and there is awesome power in our salvaiton. Paul described "just the message" in this way in Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.
What are you needing for God to do to release you from a prison you are in? If it is the prison of sin, then accept Jesus into your life and surrender to Him and you get eternal life in paradise. If you are in the prison of unforgiveness, then immerse yourself in the forgiveness of God and the Holy Spirit will enable you to quickly forgive others and live in the purity of that freedom. If it isthe annointing the be put in a different lane and doing whatever God tells you to do then give up the world and embrace the Lord. If it is to make it through a world that is dazed and confuzed then begin the day in Bible Study and Prayer and let God's Word actually "change you!" Dont be like this!!! James 1:23 For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror.24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like.
The Power of God's presence is "life changing" and God will shock you what He can do in your life. In my life I will think "I will not win in this situation" and I then give it over to God and He does take control in a "big way." In fact, I am NOTHING without the power of God and His presence. I have no problem being "NOTHING'" WHEN GOD IS MY EVERYTHING!!" Because His everything is more powerful than any prison in my life.
The Pilgrimage Continues...
David Warren