ACTS SERIES: THE POWER OF A PRAYING CHURCH – CHAPTER 12

Seeing how his actions of killing James, the brother of John, pleased the nationalistic Jews, King Herod had Peter arrested and placed him in prison. The king intended to try Peter, but due to the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread, he incarcerated Peter under the guard of four quaternions of soldiers.

Knowing the danger awaiting Peter, the church prayed to God without ceasing. The night before Peter was brought to trial, an angel went into the prison where Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers, and awakened him with a slap on the side. While Peter followed the angel’s command to get up the chains that bound him quickly fell off. Then, following the next command, Peter got dressed, put on his coat and sandals, and followed the angel past the first and second cell blocks to the gate, which supernaturally opened, allowing them to walk onto the street where the angel departed from him. During this time, Peter thought he was dreaming, but then he realized it was not a dream but God sending an angel to deliver him from pending death at the hands of Herod and the Jews. 

Peter walked to the house of Mary, the mother of John, where the believers were praying and knocked on the gate’s door. Rhoda, a young girl, heard the knocking and inquired who was doing it. Recognizing Peter’s voice and leaving him outside, Rhoda returned to the believers and told them Peter was at the door. Unfortunately, they did not believe her despite her insistence and verbally berated her. Finally, as Peter continued to knock at the door, they opened it, and to their astonishment, there was Peter. Peter had the people remain silent as he told them how God delivered him, and then before leaving them for a safer place, he told them to share the news of his escape with James and other believers.

A great commotion ensued in the morning when the soldiers woke up and could not find Peter. Consequently, when King Herod sent for Peter and was told Peter could not be found, he cross-examined the soldiers and sentenced them to death. Afterward, leaving Judea, King Herod moved to Caesarea, where he met with a delegation from the cities of Tyre and Sidon, with whom he was displeased. Knowing they were economically dependent on Herod, they made friends with Blastus, the king’s secretary, and requested a meeting with the king. On the meeting day, dressed in his royal apparel and sitting on his throne, Herod made a formal speech to which the people replied, “It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.” Immediately, because he did not acknowledge God, God’s angel inflicted him with an intestinal disease that filled him with maggots and from which he died.

Meanwhile, Acts 12 ends with the body of believers continuing to grow and multiply, Barnabus and Saul going to Jerusalem and then returning to Antioch accompanied by John Mark.

Here are the nuggets I gathered from this chapter:

Though men may plot your demise, it is God who is in charge of your life.

Only God knows why some believers die while others live.

God is sovereign in His actions.

Don’t underestimate the power of prayer.

Pray without doubting.

Your fervent prayers can save lives.

When you trust God, you can sleep amid danger.

No matter how you are bound, God can deliver you.

Follow the commands of an angel of God.

By following instructions, God allows believers to participate in miracles.

God can deliver us out of unbelievable situations.

Sometimes, people will not believe what you are saying.

Keep knocking until the door is opened.

When you escape a death sentence, share the news.

When you pray, don’t doubt.

Under no circumstance steal God’s glory.

Despite opposition, the church of the Living God will grow and multiply.