The Daily Fountain Daily Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 29 June 2020 – TOPIC: PETER’S DELIVERANCE

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TOPIC: PETER’S DELIVERANCE
READ: ACTS 12:1-11 (NKJV)

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.”

THE MESSAGE:

Herod arose against the Church. First, he killed James with the sword. Again, he imprisoned Peter with the intention to kill him after the Passover. The brethren prayed fervently, crying to God to save the Church because Herod was ready to get rid of it. Heaven responded immediately and we saw the miraculous deliverance of Peter. Who knows, probably, if the Church had kept quiet as it did in the case of James, Peter would have been killed. However, Peter had a role in the whole incidence – that of obeying divine directives.

The Church is being threatened and persecuted in several places. We have a work to do and it is that of fervent and endless prayer! Let us stop magnifying the activities of the enemies of Christ and resort to praying without ceasing. Let us pay attention to the Holy Spirit’s instructions and obey. God who delivered Peter will save His persecuted Church.

PRAYER: Lord, deliver Your Church from every attack of the enemies.