Acts 12 The Power of Prayer
1. Herod’s Plan -
The Time - 1 Now about that time
The Terror - Herod the king stretched forth his hands
The Target - to vex certain of the church. and
The Treatment - 2 he killed James the brother of John with the sword
2. Herod’s Pleasure - 3 And because he saw it pleased the Jews,
He Enjoyed His - Position, Power, Pleasure, Praise, and Profit.
3. Herod’s Purpose -
The Accusation -
3 he proceeded further to take Peter also.
(Then were the days of unleavened bread.)
The Incarceration -
4 And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison,
and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him
The Imagination -
intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.
5 Peter therefore was kept in prison:
4. Herod's Problem -
The Problem of Prayer
The Intercession
It's Force - 5 but prayer
It's Function - was made
It's Faithfulness - without ceasing
It's Fellowship - of the church
It's Faith - unto God
It's Focus - for him.
The Intervention
It's Timing - 6 And when Herod would have brought him forth,
the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers,
It's Testing - 6 bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.
It's Telling -
The Person - 7 And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him,
The Presence - and a light shined in the prison:
The Purpose - and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly.
The Power - And his chains fell off from his hands.
It's Training -
His Fellowship - 8 And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.
His Faith - 9 And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.
His Freedom - 10 When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him.
His Find - 11 And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.
The Profit of Prayer
The Time -
A Perilous Time - 6 And when Herod would have brought him forth,
A Precise Time - the same night
A Peaceful Time - Peter was sleeping between two soldiers,
The Test -
His Misery - 6 bound, His Mockery - with two chains:
His Malady - and the keepers before the door kept the prison.
The Transformation -
The Power - 7 And, behold,
The Person - the angel of the Lord,
The Place - came upon him,
The Presence - and a light shined in the prison:
The Purpose - To Bring -
Life - and he smote Peter on the side,
Light - and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly.
Liberty - And his chains fell off from his hands.
Long my imprisoned spirit lay, Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
The Transportation -
His Fellowship -
The Proclamation - 8 And the angel said unto him,
The Preparation - Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals.
The Participation - And so he did.
The Predomination - And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.
His Faith - Was -
Bold Faith - 9 And he went out,
Balanced Faith - and followed him;
Blind Faith - and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.
Blessed Faith -
His Freedom -
The Iron Gate - 10 When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate
The Closed Gate - that leadeth unto the city;
The Opened Gate - which opened to them of his own accord:
The Parting Gate - and they went out, and passed on through one street and forthwith the angel departed from him.
His Find -
The Realization - 11 And when Peter was come to himself,
The Recognition - he said, Now I know of a surety,
The Revelation - that the Lord hath sent his angel,
The Reclamation - and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod,
The Reprehension - and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews
The Introspection
The Sovereignty of God - 11 And when Peter was come to himself,
he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and
The Sufficiency of God - hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod
The Supremacy of God - and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.
The Practice of Prayer
1. The Trust In Prayer
The Pursuit of Prayer - 12 And when he had considered the thing,
The Place of Prayer - he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark;
The Priority of Prayer - where many were gathered together
The Price of Prayer - praying.
The Power of Prayer - 11 And when Peter was come to himself,
he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel,
and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.
It had Revealed - God's Sovereignty, Sufficiency, and Supremacy.
2. The Test Of Prayer
The Release - 12 And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying.
The Request - 13 And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate,
a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda.
The Person - Rev 3:20 Behold, I -
The Position - stand at the door,
The Petition - and knock:
The Perception - if any man hear my voice,
The Persuasion - open the door,
The Possession - I will come in to him
The Provision - and will sup with him,
The Promotion - and he with me
The Report - 14 and when she knew Peter's voice, she opened not the gate for gladness but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate
The Response - 15 And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel.
The Accusation - 15 And they said unto her, Thou art mad.
The Affirmation - But she constantly affirmed that it was even so.
The Abdication - Then said they, It is his angel.
The Reproof - 16 But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished.
The Relief -
He Entreated Them - 17 But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace,
He Enlightened Them - declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison
He Enlisted Them - And he said, Go shew these things unto James,
and to the brethren.
He Encouraged Them - And he departed, and went into another place.
3. The Trouble By Prayer
A Stirring - 18 Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter.
A Seeking - 19 and when Herod had sought for him, and found him not
A Sentencing - he examined the keepers, and commanded that they should be put to death
A Severing -
The Retreat - he went down from Judaea to Caesarea, and there abode
The Request - 20 And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king's chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king's country.
The Response - 21 And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them.
The Reception - 22 And the people gave a shout,
saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.
The Rejection - 23 And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.
The Revulsion -
4. The The Triumph Through Prayer
24 But the word of God grew and multiplied. 25 And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark.
