Acts 12:1-19

After Peter’s rise to leadership and bold witness, he suffered persecution for speaking about Jesus and was thrown into prison by the cruel and ungodly King Herod. Peter was sleeping, however, not perturbed by his chains or what would happen to him. How could this be – surely anyone in his situation would have been very worried about the future? If it had been me, I would have been full of anxiety and questions such as, what will happen to me, will they beat me, will they kill me, how will I get out? But Peter was sleeping like a baby and needed an angel to wake him up!

This was because even though he was in prison he knew that God would miraculously help him because he remembered what the Lord had told him at the breakfast on the shores of Galilee and he knew that he would survive because his life was in God’s hands until he was old. This is important for us to grasp. We may not be great like Peter but we are just as important to God and he holds each and every one of us in his perfect foreknowledge.

As he was sleeping in a deep sleep, an Angel suddenly appeared to him and shook him violently. The chains fell off his hands and feet, and the angel told him to rise, put on his sandals and follow him. That night was the night of Passover, and just as God had delivered the people out of slavery in Egypt, he was going to deliver Peter from prison. On the night of Passover, the people had to put on their clothes and sandals and be ready to move out at a moment’s notice.

Peter did not expect to be released that very night and was not expecting an angel who told him to hurry, put on his sandals and his outer garments and follow him. So, too, we should be ready at any moment for the coming of the Lord, for we do not know when it will happen. (Exodus 12:11, Revelation 16:15). This speaks of our readiness and expectancy, which should always be in the coming of the Lord. 

The angel led him out of the prison of darkness and bondage into the freedom and liberty outside, and Peter immediately went to his friends who loved him and had been praying so earnestly for him. They were overjoyed when they saw him. This portrays the wonderful joy that awaits us when the Lord returns, and we are released from the bondage and sufferings of this world and will join our loved ones in the Presence of our Lord. There is coming a day when the angels of God will gather every single child of the Lord, and we will be together forever. (Matthew 24:31).

We must also remember another great truth, and that is no matter what situation we find ourselves in here on earth, the Lord is able to break through all the difficulties and trials we face, and able to open doors, set us free and make a way for us when there seems to be no way.

As we look to him in prayer for ourselves, our families and friends, no matter their predicament or situation, the Lord can bring them through. We must never forget this: even when the situation may look dark and hopeless, God will still help. Nothing is impossible to Him.

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Write down your thoughts about the Lord’s promises to deliver you and keep you.

How you can apply this to your life?