Bro Bill Sunday School 4/10/11
Act 12:1 Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.
Act 12:2 And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.
Act 12:3 And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.)
Act 12:4 And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.
Act 12:5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
They were people just like you and me. Fears tried to work on them just like it would you and me. Doubts and various things tried to work; they were human just like you and me. It looked like Pharaoh had the upper hand because he’d killed James. It could have been a discouraging situation.
When Pharaoh apprehended Peter, they went to prayer. If two agree in prayer touching any one thing it shall be done.(Matt 18:19) There is power in unity in prayer. God is a prayer answering God.
Act 12:6 And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.
Act 12:7 And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.
Act 12:8 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.
Act 12:9 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.
Act 12:10 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.
Act 12:11 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.
He not only had guards but there were chains that bound him; there were various chambers that they had to go through and then they went out the iron gate.
Act 12:12 And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying.
The saints were gathered together praying; they hadn’t given up.
Act 12:13 And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda.
Act 12:14 And when she knew Peter's voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate.
Act 12:15 And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel.
They thought he might even be dead. They told the maid, “It can’t be him; it is his spirit.”
Act 12:16 But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished.
Act 12:17 But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go shew these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place.
Act 12:18 Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter.
Act 12:19 And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the keepers, and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judaea to Caesarea, and there abode.
God had brought a great deliverance.
Adam Clarks Commentary - The Greek word εκτενης signifies both fervor and earnestness, as well as perseverance. These prayers of the Church produced that miraculous interference mentioned above, and without which Peter could not have thus escaped from the hands of this ruthless king.
God is a prayer answering God. We have some books on the thought of revival. In one place the writer said that the children of Israel only grabbed 1/3rd of the land that they should have when they went into the Canaan land.
My thought is to edify and encourage, but I think that we shortchange ourselves of the things that God has available to us.
Ephesians 3:20 KJVR
(20) Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
How much do you think that God can do or that He will do?
My thought is on praying, praying, praying. I know that we do pray; my intention is not to bring this out in a wrong way. I want to see God; I know that good things are ahead. The saints have been laboring for souls. We are not capable of helping lost souls in our self. We’ve labored and it will take more than just us. We need the mighty hand of God to move on souls.
William C Burns lived during the time of the Scotland revival, 1839. William C Burns was mightily used of God in Scotland and China, lived in expectation of a coming revival to the land of Scotland.
As a young man of only 23 years, he’d prayed and lived on his knees that God would open the windows of heaven. His brother said that he had exalted views of what God could accomplish by His Spirit in these later days. He saw the outpouring of the spirit on the disciples at the day of Pentecost not as an exceptional circumstance but as what might be repeated to any age.
His brother said that he remembered having a conversation with him on this very subject. He ventured to question whether even though the working of the Divine Spirit may be as powerful as it was in the day of Pentecost, the self restraint of modern life would not allow the expression of it as was in the day of Pentecost.
William said “if the mighty wind blew where it listed then we should not be powerful enough to keep the Spirit from working.” Little did his brother know that within a month he would witness this very thing. All Scotland heard the glad news that the skies were no longer brass but that the gates of heaven were opened. In one day they had 10,000 people come to an open air meeting and get saved.
William believed God. God is no respecter of persons. He prayed for hours daily as he began his public ministry at the age of 20. One morning his mother came into his room and he’d been praying in the Spirit all night. He said, “Mother, God has given me Scotland today.” Then without any organized effort, God worked in a mighty way.
I’m going to put God to the test for Plains and Paradise areas. I’m only ever going to be a servant; I’m afraid to claim anything more than that. If people will get past trying to make a name for themself and just do for the kingdom of God and for souls. I’m not going to gain anything from claiming the area. I’m just a servant.
2Co 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
2Co 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
God is able to take care of these situations that we are burdened for. He is working and He will work.
Another reading: One day in a northern city of Eastern Europe I was concern because that God has sent revival for no apparent reason. 1000 believers packed the church building every service. I was at a loss to explain the open windows with souls. I had arrived unheralded and unknown directed only by the leading of the Holy Spirit. God allowed me to discover the secret when I made my way to the basement to have a few minutes of prayer. When I turned on the light, I saw 12 sisters praying flat on their faces before God. They were totally unaware of my presence. They were praying silently while God was working mightily with sinners upstairs.
Another reading: There was a town that had not had a revival in many years. There lived on a secluded side of the town a blacksmith that stammered badly and it was painful to listen to him speak. He became burdened for the state of the town and the young people. He set aside his blacksmithing and began to pray all day. He asked the minister for a conference meeting with the town. At the meeting all were silent for a time until a sinner broke out in tears and asked that if any would please pray for him to please pray, another followed and another. They all dated their conviction to the time that the old blacksmith began to pray in the shop.
My burden and my thought is to encourage us that we have access to great things through prayer. If we will be totally clear in our souls, everything gotten out of the way, and earnestly pray, there is nothing impossible with God.
Ephesians 3:20 KJVR
(20) Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
Charles Finney wrote this: I once visited a factory to see the machinery and was in a reverent mood because I’d just come from a revival. One of the workers made a rude comment to a friend and I looked at her with a disappointed look. She became so upset that she broke the thread that she’d been sewing with and was unable to fix it. I went to her and talked to her and found that she has a deep recognition of sin in her soul. The owner of that factory shut down the factory so that we could hold revival services because he was concerned for the souls of his workers. In a few days every one of the 3000 employees were saved. This inspired a massive revival.
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