Worship

“Holy Moment” by Phil Wickham, featuring Naomi Raine

Scripture

“It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread. After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.

^“So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.

“The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.

“Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.” And Peter did so. “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,” the angel told him. Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.

“Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen.” – Acts 12:1-11

Life’s Prison Moments

As I was worshiping to the opening song and meditating on this Scripture passage, I pictured the words of this song filling Peter’s prison cell. This was a holy moment where both the power and the presence of the Lord would intercept Peter’s life in a profound way. God would determine the outcome as Peter was resting in Jesus.

There are times in our life when we feel bound by the realities of living in a fallen world. We have loved and followed Jesus, but the unexpected comes. It’s in this place where we get to experience the unfathomable love and deliverance of the One who rescues, defends, and delivers every time.

The Impossibilities

Let’s glance at the several impossibilities stacked against Peter:

• Herod was on a political mission to win the favor of the Jews, and he would go to any length to do so.
• The Jews celebrated the death of James, one of the “‘sons of thunder (Mark 3:17),’” as he was executed by the sword. According to Deuteronomy 13:12-15, those who lead others away from the one true God were to be put to death by the sword.
• The injustice of false accusation was not in Peter’s favor, nor was there any possibility of Peter’s testimony holding weight with this king.
• The momentum of persecution against the Church was picking up speed.
• Herod went to great lengths to secure Peter, being guarded by 16 soldiers in total and chained between two of them. Since no executions could take place during Passover, Herod had to wait.
• Perhaps Peter remembered Stephen being martyred or John the Baptist, who wasn’t rescued from prison either.
• Since he had already been delivered once, why would God do it again?
• He was more guaranteed execution at the hand of a murderous king than deliverance under the current circumstances the Church was facing.
• Tomorrow, indeed, was not promised.

But Peter slept—chained, possibly condemned to death, and imprisoned.

And the Church prayed.

He was not panicked and full of anxiety. He was not rehearsing what he would say during a possible trial. He wasn’t composing a letter to the Church. He simply rested in the presence of the Lord. I wonder if the moments with Jesus on the sea when his Savior was asleep filled his mind. The possible anguish in Peter’s soul and spirit was very real because his circumstances were intense. Yet he slept. And in his resting, God moved.

God’s Deliverance

The angel came on assignment from the throne room of Heaven. Iron chains and prison doors could not stop the power of God to set Peter free. And the voice of the saints partnered with the will of God to move on one man’s behalf. The Lord didn’t even rely on Peter’s will since he was essentially asleep during the whole deliverance, waking as he passed through the city gate.

Victory was Peter’s, the Lord declared from the cross and empty tomb. Victory would play out from his salvation throughout his life until God took him home.

Truths for Today

I believe the Lord wants us to know these truths deep unto deep:

• God determines our days, and He is with us in our proverbial prison cells of circumstances.
• He partners with the prayers of His people to release His will on Earth.
• Your position and choice to rest become the highway for your deliverance. Fret, worry, and anxiety can rob you of experiencing the very presence of Jesus.
• God has not forsaken you in your suffering or injustice. He is the One who will bring forth your deliverance; your Jehovah Mephalti (the Lord my Deliverer) will not fail you.

Peter walked through the valley of the shadow of death, but it could not touch him. The rod and the staff of your Shepherd will guide and guard your life till Jesus takes you home. It’s a promise you can bank on. Everything that touches you must go through the nail-pierced hand of the One who gave everything for you and has withheld nothing. The abundance of Heaven and the fullness of Christ are yours because He lives inside of you. He’s committed to your freedom and your release from spiritual prisons and captivity (Isaiah 61). Will you choose to rest today in the very presence of Jesus? With just one word or even one angel, your circumstances can change. Just as Peter decided to go to sleep and not have a panic attack at his probable execution the next day, can you trust God will see this through for your victory and deliverance from any metaphorical prisons you find yourself sitting in?

And all the while, the Church prayed.

Final Encouragement

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.” -Hebrews 12:1-3, NLT

A Few Key Notes

• Love your neighbor and join us in sharing about Jesus with people during Dallas Harvest Days! We will teach you how to share the gospel and then go and evangelize together. Meet at La Victoria, 1605 N. Haskell Ave., Dallas, TX 75204, at 9 a.m. this Saturday, November 2. Tell us you’re coming by emailing [email protected].
• Registration for the Arise Fall Luncheon is open! Join us on November 19 in Plano, Texas. We will hear from author and missiologist David Joannes as he shares your God-given destiny and purpose in the Great Commission. Early bird tickets are $20. Reserve your seat today!