“Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands. Then the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and tie on your sandals”; and so he did. And he said to him, “Put on your garment and follow me.” So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him. And when Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.” So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying. And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer. When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate. But they said to her, “You are beside yourself!” Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, “It is his angel.” Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. But motioning to them with his hand to keep silent, he declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Go, tell these things to James and to the brethren.” And he departed and went to another place. Then, as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers about what had become of Peter. But when Herod had searched for him and not found him, he examined the guards and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judea to Caesarea, and stayed there.”
Acts 12:5-19 NKJV
As I read this familiar passage this morning, Holy Spirit began to highlight certain details to me which I believe are prophetic in nature and will benefit the reader in the days to come as we move from glory to glory and strength to strength.
“Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.” Acts 12:5 NKJV
1. The intercessors prayed. We as a nation find ourselves in a place where only God can save us. We must turn only and fully to Him. We must pray without ceasing, having done all to stand at the end of the evil day we will stand, stand, stand!
“And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison.”
Acts 12:6 NKJV
2. Intercessors through the power of the Spirit opened impenetrable doors in the natural. The prayers of God’s people broke physical restraints and overcame the physical strength of man!
“Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands.”
Acts 12:7 NKJV
3. The fortress of the enemy is no match for the armies of God! In most cases an angel army is not required, only one angel is all that is needed to bring you to the point of breakthrough.
“Then the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and tie on your sandals”; and so he did. And he said to him, “Put on your garment and follow me.””
Acts 12:8 NKJV
4. Peter was fully led by his spirit. His spirit man dominated his flesh.
“For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.” Galatians 5:17 NKJV.
Peter had disciplined himself over time to a place in his relationship with Christ where he had denied his own foolishness repeatedly in order to obey God resulting in the Holy Spirit’s influence becoming the dominant force in his life. So in his time of most desperate need his spirit immediately obeyed the moved with the hand of God.
“When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.” Acts 12:10 NKJV
5. The path to freedom was a process. Peter had to pass through two guard posts and finally an iron gate. The angelic escort was there to open the doors of destiny to the man of God who chose to continue to be led by the Spirit.
“And when Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.””
Acts 12:11 NKJV
6. The awakening didn’t come right away. Up to this point Peter thought he was dreaming. It wasn’t until the move of God was complete and he was fully released from the hold of the enemy that Peter woke up to realize what was happening!
“And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer. When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate. But they said to her, “You are beside yourself!” Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, “It is his angel.” Acts 12:13-15 NKJV
7. The intercessors were so focused on the battle that they did not discern the shift when it came!
“But when Herod had searched for him and not found him, he examined the guards and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judea to Caesarea, and stayed there.” Acts 12:19 NKJV
8. The end result was judgement for the oppressors while the man of God moved forward to the next place of destiny.