Message Title: What Are You Waiting For?
Scriptures: Acts 12:5-10
Acts 12
5 Peter was therefore kept in prison, but [b]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.
I was reading this
passage the other day and it really struck me that the Angel of the Lord said,
“quickly.”
It got me wondering why?
Was Peter just sitting there rubbing his eyes? Was he trying to get one more
drink of water before leaving?
And then I thought do we
do that? We have been set free by Jesus the Christ. Do we now not hurry to get
out of the situation we were in or do we lollygag getting out of it. For
example. I speak to women all the time who are victims of domestic violence.
The hardest part is not to get them to believe that they should not be getting
beat up all the time. It’s to get them to leave the person. There’s a million
reason why they can’t or why they shouldn’t leave. They are free but refuse to
leave the prison.
Some of us we were told
that we stupid and would never amount to anything. Yet, we hold jobs. Make
decision everyday on our own. But, when it comes time to really being
successful we say no, “I’m stupid.”
We never really give it
100%. We never really leave the prison.
The Bible says in John
8:36
Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free
indeed.
Jesus did not go to the cross, die
for and me so, that we continue to live in prison. We Are Free.
Have you ever known someone who went
to jail? And when they got out they were on probation or parole?
For those of us that don’t know this
is how this works.
After getting out of jail you have to
report to an officer. Sometimes every week. In some cases you can’t even leave
the city you live in without his or her permission. They can say, “No,” For
almost any reason. They can search your residence at any time unannounced. If
you are in the middle of throwing your child a birthday party to bad. My point
is this, they got out of jail but they are not free.
Don’t live like this after asking God
into your heart and being set free. Don’t keep listening to the old thoughts or
people that keep trying to put you in that mental prison. God wants to do
amazing things in your Life but you got to get out of the prison. He’s done his
part now you do yours and walk away from those things. Those people. Do it
quickly, before you find yourself living in a prison you were set free from a
long time ago.
Be blessed in Jesus name.
Music Worship Leaders:
JW & Sharon Peck
Songs:
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