The Power Of Prayer Series

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