It can be tough to serve God when you've been hurt or disappointed. In any walk with God, there comes a point when trials come that will either make or break your faith. How do you respond in the midst of such circumstances? We see that the early church learned to press in during the fiery trial of disappointment to see the God of miracles affirm and strengthen their faith. As a result, the gospel continued to mightily advance. Today, we will learn how to persist in prayer that we might meet the God of miracles even within the prison.
Persist
Acts 12:1-5 About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. He killed James the brother of John with the sword, and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread. And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people. So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.
"Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened." - Billy Graham
The trials that you endure can be indicators of at least three things: 1) Inflictions that are self-imposed because of wrong or sinful choices. If you find yourself in such a place, repent of the sin and ask Jesus to put you back on the right track through His Word. 2) The product of the sins of others having a projected affect on your life. Come to Jesus for healing and strength. Through the gospel, others' decisions do not determine your destiny. 3) The resistance that comes because of the spiritual advancement through the gospel.
In the case of James, the disciple of Jesus, it was when he was doing the right thing, standing for Christ, that his trial came.
In Prayer
How do you deal with disappointment? We have a choice to make when we see things turn out in unexpected manners.
Disappointment will cause us to either: 1) Press in or 2) Pull out.
How have you been disappointed in the past when you were expecting God to move? This determines who you ultimately become.
The disciples pressed in after James' martyrdom, and because of it, God worked yet another miracle, the church was strengthened and the gospel mightily advanced.
“Many men owe the grandeur of their lives to the tremendous difficulties.” - Charles Spurgeon
“If we cannot believe God when circumstances seem to be against us, we do not believe Him at all.” - Charles H. Spurgeon
“Fiery trials make golden Christians.” - Charles H. Spurgeon
The enemy of your soul would love to use trials to isolate you and imprison you.
What do these prisons look like?
Amongst other things, they can be: 1) Physical (as in the case of the Peter and many believers around the world today) 2) Financial (stuck in a job you feel is death to your soul or in debt because of life decisions/circumstances) 3) Habitual (you disappear into various vices and sin as a way to escape the pain of your disappointment) 4) Emotional (you stop wanting to engage God, other believers and the church because of your disappointment).
However, the good news is that we can meet the God of all grace in the prison so that it does not become our permanent home, whether in life or in death.
God is in the prison
Acts 12:6-19 Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands. And the angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” And he went out and followed him. He did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel left him. When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.” When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. And when he knocked at the door of the gateway, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer. Recognizing Peter's voice, in her joy she did not open the gate but ran in and reported that Peter was standing at the gate. They said to her, “You are out of your mind.” But she kept insisting that it was so, and they kept saying, “It is his angel!” But Peter continued knocking, and when they opened, they saw him and were amazed. But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Tell these things to James and to the brothers.” Then he departed and went to another place. Now when day came, there was no little disturbance among the soldiers over what had become of Peter. And after Herod searched for him and did not find him, he examined the sentries and ordered that they should be put to death. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and spent time there.
Do not suffer alone. In all trials strive to pray earnestly in faith, even when you seem to have been disappointed in the past. When you feel that you don't have the strength, call on your brothers and sisters in the church who will intercede for you as the early church did for Peter.
When we press in, God will show up with instruction of what needs to be done to free us from our prison. Your circumstance may not change immediately, but the power is in aligning yourself with God's perspective as you wait for the miracle.
Verse 7 - When He does speak, obey immediately.
In Peter's case, delayed obedience could have cost him his life.
What is God telling you that needs to change in your present state to free you from your prison?
The surprise of answered prayer is a reflection of the gospel and God's grace. It is Jesus' death on the cross and subsequent resurrection from the dead three days later that initiated God's plan of rescue by freeing us from our imprisonment to sin. This is what we'll be celebrating with the baptisms today and why you need to be water baptized if you have not already.
God is happy to surprise us when it falls into alignment with His greater gospel good.
The basis of your confidence is exposed in the midst of trials.
Galatians 3:1-6 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith— just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?
Second City Church: Chicago Fire: The Spirit-Led Church in the City Sermon Series 2016