Wake Up And Walk Out – Part 1
Happy New Year everyone! I trust your Christmas season was a good one. I don’t know if you’re like me but when a new year rolls around, I tend to think back over the unexpected events that have happened in the previous year. It then makes me wonder about the unexpected events that will happen during this year.
Apostle Peter was no doubt wondering about the events of his future in Acts chapter 12. No, it wasn’t New Years Eve, but it was during the Jewish Passover feasts. Herod had just killed James the Apostle and now his murderous appetite was directed toward Peter. So Peter was arrested and put into prison with sixteen soldiers to guard him. As he sat there in that cold damp prison with chains fastened to him, I’m sure he wondered how soon death would come. Remember that Passover was the same time of year that Jesus was crucified. As we look in on Peter, let’s use his surroundings as a parallel for our devotion.
The Guards
As we said earlier, Peter had sixteen soldiers surrounding him. Acts 12:4 says that there were: “…four quaternions of soldiers.” A quaternion is four. So Peter is surrounded by sixteen people who are placed there to keep him in bondage. Child of God, what surrounds you that is keeping you bound? Maybe you have allowed someone in your life that is hindering God’s plan for you. A wrong relationship will keep you torn between pleasing that person/group or pleasing God. This emotional tug-a-war leaves you feeling miserable and spiritually drained until you break free.
The Chains
Peter’s chains were no doubt made of iron. But in the spirit world, there are so many people bound by chains of the flesh. These chains are not always visible because they become such a part of us. Do you feel that you have two different people living inside of you? In Galatians 5:17, Apostle Paul labeled these two opposing forces, the Spirit and the Flesh. How many times have you tried to do better, only to have the chains of flesh pull you back down to the cold damp floor of your prison? As impossible as it may seem, you can be freed from the lusts of the flesh and walk in the liberty of the Spirit!
The Locked Door
As this new year begins, do you feel that you’re staring at that same locked door? For those seeking to serve in ministry, the door of opportunity never seems to open fast enough. In our years of ministry, we have witnessed so many young preachers who are like a dog pulling on a chain, ready to hit the evangelistic field. Young ministers, the key to a locked door is faithfulness. An impatient rattling of the door will never get it to open. A man once said, “Our problem is not to find better opportunities but to be faithful in the ones we already possess.” Apostle Paul showed all of us how to be faithful in spite of a locked door. This evangelist’s ministry was seemingly brought to ruin by his arrest and imprisonment. But instead of staring at the locked door in front of him, Paul picked up a quill and paper and began to write letters. Because of this, you and I have a majority of the New Testament.
Well, I’m afraid we’ll have to push pause and continue in our next devotion. We’ve discussed some of hindrances that Peter faced in his prison and discussed some of our own hindrances. In our next devotion, we’ll be getting Peter out of prison and see what happens when a church begins to pray!