Prison Break: And The Chains Fell Off Series

-Peter’s enemies wanted to break his spirit through grief, sorrow, and unfair treatment. They wanted him to be bound up, not only in physical chains, but in emotional chains of hatred and despair.

-Maybe you have found yourself bound by something. There are many forms these chains can take. You might identify with Peter because you are bound up by grief and sorrow. You may have lost somebody close to you and have never really worked through the grief to find healing. Maybe you’ve been mistreated or wounded by someone. You find yourself unable to forgive them, and that chain of unforgiveness is weighing you down. Maybe you are chained by an addiction or a recurring illness. Whatever your chains might be, please hear me when I say there is hope for you. You can find freedom from the things that hold you back from living life to the full! How do I know that? Because that is the good news about Jesus. He came to help us, heal us, and forgive us. Peter had already experienced the Lord’s help and forgiveness, but in this situation he received help through the prayers of people in the church. Let’s take a look at how that happened.

II. Strengthened through a Praying Church

-Peter was sleeping. Even in the midst of the bondage of grief and mistreatment, Peter was able to trust the Lord and rest in Him for the outcome. This was the night before he was to go on trial. He would likely face execution the next day, just as his good friend James had just a few days earlier.

-Why was Peter able to go to sleep and put his life and future in God’s hands? I really believe it was because the church was praying for him. Psalm 3:5 says, “I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me.” God sustained Peter in response to the prayers of other believers.

-God often burdens others to pray for us, and sometimes He even uses them to help meet our need. However, we always need to remember that He is our source. [Illus: A little boy was saying his bedtime prayers with his mother: "Lord, bless Mommy and Daddy, and God, GIVE ME A NEW BICYCLE!!!" Mom: "God’s not deaf, son. Boy: "I know, Mom, but Grandma’s in the next room, and she’s hard of hearing!”] God knows our situation, just as He knew Peter’s situation. God gave the church a burden to pray for Peter, and then He did the rest.

-Never underestimate the power of a praying church! We don’t quite know how it works or why it works, but something definitely happens when believers pray that does not happen when they don’t pray. God is sovereign and will do what He sees best in every situation, but for some reason he chooses to work through the prayers of His people.

-Some people might say, “God will do what He wants to do regardless of whether I pray or not.” In a sense that is true, because God will not allow His purposes to be thwarted by any created being. None of us has the power to hinder God from doing what He purposes to do. So let’s think about this in another way.

-When we pray for someone, who do you think gives us the idea to pray? Are we the source of the prayer burdens that arise in our hearts? No! God is the source. God determines what is needed, and then He speaks to our hearts so we will pray and see the answer come. God can do whatever He wants, and would never even have to involve us, but He wants to include His children in His plans. He wants us to learn to partner with Him and see His will be done on earth as it is in heaven.