Tyrants throughout history have echoed the words of the King of Babylon. These words have often been linked not only to that historical king but also to Satan himself:
“You said to yourself, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit on the mount of assembly on the heights of Zaphon; I will ascend to the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.'” (Isaiah 14:13-14)
The “I wills” of aggressive human power oppose God’s kingdom. King Herod lived by the “I will” of royal power. He chose to please himself and certain Jewish leaders in Jerusalem by killing James and then imprisoning Peter (Acts 12:1-5).
Peter’s Deliverance
Peter was locked in a Jerusalem prison, heavily guarded and bound in chains. But none of that could stop the angel of the Lord. The angel came to Peter and instructed him, “Get up quickly. Put on your clothes, and let’s go.”
Peter thought he was seeing a vision until they passed through the second gate. When it closed behind them, he realized that the Lord had indeed set him free.
Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hands of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.” (Acts 12:11)
A Surprising Answer to Prayer
Peter went to the home of John Mark’s mother. When he arrived, he knocked at the gate. The servant who answered was so excited that, instead of opening it, she ran back inside to tell everyone Peter was at the gate.
The people praying for Peter’s release did not believe the woman was in her right mind. When she kept insisting that Peter was outside, they assumed it was his angel. But they soon discovered the truth.
Meanwhile, Peter continued knocking, and when they opened the gate, they saw him and were amazed. He motioned to them with his hand to be silent and described for them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he added, “Tell this to James and to the brothers and sisters.” (Acts 12:16-17)
This is a perfect illustration of human nature. We ask God for something and pray for it deeply. Then, when it actually happens, we are surprised and wonder if God has truly answered our prayer.
We would do well to consider Jesus’s words about faith and prayer:
Jesus answered, “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (Mark 11:22-24)
Let’s think about the mountains we need to move in our lives today. Instead of focusing on human solutions to these massive problems, let’s consider how God may answer as we bring them to Him in prayer. Then, let’s pray and act in faith.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today. [Insert Link to Video Here]
