As I was in my quiet time with God, I was laying my problems and burdens before Him. My problems had grown and I was feeling that there was no way out, that the problems had become too big, and that they were overtaking me.
It was as I was seeking God’s face that He directed me to read a passage in the bible, one that I have read so many times before, but this time it blew my mind.
Come with me as I take you through the revelation that He gave me. You will be blessed and realize that no matter how small or big your problem is, it is nothing for God.
Acts 12 – Peter is Bound in Prison
The soft voice of the Holy Spirit told me to open my bible and read from Acts 12:2 and 3
“Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword. 3 And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also.”
Herod was on a roll and had discovered that by persecuting and killing the Christians he was getting the support of the Jews that he desperately needed. Any politician knows that they need the support of the people to keep them in office. He had captured a big prize, Peter, and was looking forward to placing him before the people and having him executed.
Peter was in jail for the evening. He was so precious and valued as a prisoner by Herod, that Herod had 4 squadrons of soldiers to watch him. On top of this verse 6 says
“Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison.”
Not only were there 4 squads of guards but Peter was also chained between 2 guards. All in all, I would say that the situation for Peter was pretty much hopeless.
An Angel of the Lord appears
As Peter was sleeping, chained between these guards, an angel of the Lord appeared before him and struck him on the side, and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands.
Wow! Here Peter was in chains between 2 guards making escape impossible, and yet an angel of God just made the impossible possible by making Peter arise and allowing the chains to fall off, without waking the guards!
Acts 9 explains that the entire scene was so surreal to Peter that he believed that he was seeing a vision or was dreaming.
The angel then led Peter past the various guard stations and when they came to the main gate of the prison, the gate opened by itself and they were able to leave the prison. Once they were a short distance from the prison the angel departed from Peter.
Verse 11 says – 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.”
Others also believed it was nothing more than a dream
Peter then went to the house of Mary where many of the Christians were gathered together in prayer.
He knocked on the door and a young girl came to answer. When she recognized Peter’s voice at the door she was so excited that she did not open the door but ran to tell the others that Peter was at the door.
In verse 15 it explains that the people told the girl that she was beside herself, in other words, that she was imagining things or that she was dreaming. They even told her that it was maybe his angel.
The replies of the people of faith who were praying, really explain just how hopeless the case was that Peter had been in. Even the faith-filled Christians who were gathered together in prayer did not believe that Peter would ever be released from prison.
Eventually, after Peter’s constant and continued knocking at the door they opened the door and were astonished to see Peter.
They thought that they were dreaming.
When God sets you free from your problem it will be so big and so sudden that not only you but everyone who knows you will think that it is a dream.
God is bigger than your problem!
Now I am not sure what problems you are facing today. Perhaps you are struggling with addiction, marriage problems, financial problems, etc.
The problems may seem impossible to you. It feels like you are chained between guards who will not let you free and that you are about to be destroyed.
God is bigger than your problem and if you place your problem in His hands, and trust fully in Him, the chains of bondage will be broken and He will lead you out of the prison that you find yourself in.
Hallelujah!
Wait – there is more
This is something that struck me and as I read it I was truly amazed at what God was busy showing me.
Get away from your Problem!
Verse 19 says, “And he went down from Judea to Caesarea, and stayed there.”
Peter left Judea where his problem was and went to a new place where his problem would no longer find or bother him!
Once Jesus sets you free you need to get away from where your problem lies or else you will end up with the exact same problem again.