A Study Of Acts "The Power Of Prayer" Acts 12

THE POWER OF PRAYER

Acts 12

SATAN HAS POWER

A.. Never underestimate the power of Satan.

          Matthew 12:24: He is the prince of demons

          John 12:24: He is the prince of this world

          Ephesians 2:2: He is the ruler of the kingdom of the air.

          He is an expert in temptation

       1.We live in a time when it appears that the rich and the powerful

           can get away with any wrong doing. It is a time when the truth

           is easily set aside for a lie. It is a time when an accusation without

           proof can destroy a persons career. 

      2. Regardless of what is going on, God is always in charge.

          a. Those who do wrong may appear to get away without punishment.

          b. Every person will have to answer to God for all they do.

B. Herod kill  Apostle James ( the brother of John) and got the approval

     of the ruling Jews.

    1. Herod was not concerned about life of others, but his approval rating.

    2. Does that seem like anyone we know today?

    3. Herod got the approval for one murder, so he plan to kill Peter.

    4. In a sense, Herod was a type of the antichrist, rejecting Christ

        and persecuting the Church.

C. Satan never stops his attack on Christians.

    1. Satan's attack does not affect God's plan for us.

    2. We may not be able to understand God's plan, but

        all things works according to His will.

GOD IS IN CONTROL OF ALL EVIL

Verse 4-5.

A. The evil that man plans,  cannot work unless God approves.

    1. Herod killed James but was not allowed to kill Peter.

    2. After James death and Peter arrest, the Church went into

        corporate prayer.

    3. It may have been the prayer of the church, that caused God

        to send an angel to release Peter.

        a. Prayer increases the faith of the one praying.

        b. Prayer affects the mind of the one the prayer is directed.

    4. Herod had Peter guarded by 16 Roman soldiers  ; 4 sets of four each.

    5. Nothing is to hard for God. 

B. It is interesting to note that God allowed James to die, but not Peter.

   1. It was the brothers James and John who asked that they be allowed

      to sit at the right and left hand of Jesus when He came into His

      kingdom.

  2. Jesus said no. but they would endure persecution. Matthew 20:20-23

  3. We have to be careful what we ask for.

      a. James was killed, and John was exiled to the Isle of Patmos.

  4. Peter may have remembered the words Jesus spoke to him in John 21: 18-19

    John 21:17-19

 Jesus said, "Feed my sheep. 18 I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go."  19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, "Follow me!"

THE POWER OF PRAYER

Verses 6-8.

A. You don't have a problem that God can't solve.

    1. Peter was guarded by 16 soldiers

    2. Peter was chained between two soldiers

    3. The 16 soldiers may have been frozen in time as

        Peter was released by the angel

    4. The Church was in continuous prayer.

B. We can expect God to do the impossible.

    1. God expects us to be obedient and do the possible.

    2. God never does what we can do for ourselves.

    3. We have all been given gifts and talents to do God's

         work.

C. Peter was released out of prison.

    1. He had to make a decision to continue in the ministry.

    2. It was up to Peter what he did next.

    3. We don't stop the ministry because we run into trouble.

THE POWER OF GOD'S WILL

Verse 11-14

1. When God has done the impossible, we need to

     use our blessing as a testimony to others.

2. The church was amazed at Peters release.

3. It is always encouraging to hear the recover of those

    we pray for.

4. The Church was praying for the life of Peter, but was

     surprised when he show up at their door alive.

5. Spread the word of the goodness of God.   V:16-17.

6. Other may be grieving at lost of a love one or dealing

    some issue and need encouragement and our prayers.

THE WRATH OF GOD

V:20-23

A. An evil mine continues in his/her ways.

   1. God hates the proud.

   2, He will not be mocked

B. While those who mock God,  have their way for awhile,

     their doom is sure.

   1. God can hurt people in unexpected ways.

   2. Herod was eaten by worms.

   3. The devil sets you up for a big fall.

   4. While Herod had an audience with the people,

        God gave him one more chance to praise him.

    5. Herod praised himself, his death was immediate.

Rev. M. Mitchell