ACTS 28 (Chapter 12) THE POWER OF PRAYER

ACTS 28

(Chapter 12)

THE POWER OF PRAYER

Acts 12:1-25

1 Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church.

2  Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword.

3  And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it

was during the Days of Unleavened Bread.

4  So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers

to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover.

5  Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the

church.

6  And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two

chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison.

7  Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck

Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands.

8  Then the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and tie on your sandals”; and so he did. And he said

to him, “Put on your garment and follow me.”

9  So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real,

but thought he was seeing a vision.

10  When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that

leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down

one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.

11  And when Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent

His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the

Jewish people.”

12  So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose

surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying.

13  And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer.

14  When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran

in and announced that Peter stood before the gate.

15  But they said to her, “You are beside yourself!” Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they

said, “It is his angel.”

16  Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were

astonished.

17  But motioning to them with his hand to keep silent, he declared to them how the Lord had

brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Go, tell these things to James and to the brethren.”

And he departed and went to another place.

18  Then, as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers about what had

become of Peter.

19  But when Herod had searched for him and not found him, he examined the guards and

commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judea to Caesarea, and

stayed there.

20  Now Herod had been very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; but they came to him with

one accord, and having made Blastus the king’s personal aide their friend, they asked for peace,

because their country was supplied with food by the king’s country.

21  So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them.

22  And the people kept shouting, “The voice of a god and not of a man!”

23  Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And

he was eaten by worms and died.

24  But the word of God grew and multiplied.

25  And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their ministry, and

they also took with them John whose surname was Mark.

I. MARTYRDOM

Acts 28:1-4

1 Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the

church.

2  Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword.

3  And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter

also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread.

4  So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads

of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover.

Luke 14:26-27

26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and

children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.

27  And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.

John the Baptist

Stephen

James

All the Apostles except John

Show Chart

Almost 6000 Killed in 2021

THINGS TO REMEMBER ABOUT MARTYRDOM

1. We have a Savior that gave His life for us

2. Death in Christ is a great victory never a defeat

3. The blood of the martyr is the seed of the church

II. THE POWER OF PRAYER

Acts 12:5-17

1. It lifts oppression and vexation

Acts 12:1

1 Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from

the church.

2. It can keep you alive

Acts 12:3-5

3 And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter

also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread.

4  So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four

squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after

Passover.

5  Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for

him by the church.

3. It causes us to sleep in the midst of trouble

Acts 12:6

6 And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping,

bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door

were keeping the prison.

4. It results in angels being released

Acts 12:7a

7a Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison;

and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up

5. It removes bondages and breaks chains

Acts 12:7

7 Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison;

and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his

chains fell off his hands.

6. It causes impossible doors to open

Acts 12:10

10 When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the

iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they

went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from

him.

7. It’s the only way to defeat the “Herod’s” and the haters

Acts 12:11

11 And when Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the

Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from

all the expectation of the Jewish people”.

8. It initiates divine reversals

Acts 12:18-25

18 Then, as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers about

what had become of Peter.

19  But when Herod had searched for him and not found him, he examined the

guards and commanded that they should be put to death…

20 Now Herod had been very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; but they

came to him with one accord and having made Blastus the king’s personal aide

their friend, they asked for peace, because their country was supplied with food

by the king’s country.

21  So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an

oration to them.

22  And the people kept shouting, “The voice of a god and not of a man!”

23  Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory

to God. And he was eaten by worms and died.

24  But the word of God grew and multiplied.

25  And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their

ministry, and they also took with them John whose surname was Mark.

III. TYPES OF PRAYER

1. Intimacy - Devotion

2. Intercession - Petition

3. Ceaseless – Tongues, Attitude and Mindset

1 Thessalonians 5:17

17 Pray without ceasing.