The concept of supernaturalism is disappearing in our modern, scientific, and technological society. When we hear of miracles or God working, many secretly says to themself, “There is no supernatural power, people who believe in the supernatural are at least two hundred years behind time “. But when we stop depending upon ourselves and turn to God in simple faith by believing he can do the impossible, then they will begin to see and experience the mysterious workings of Jesus in a supernatural way.
Early Church had the confidence and power to depend on God and have a supernatural touch. God revealed this In Acts 12, when you read the whole chapter, there are three major events - the murder of James, the deliverance of Peter and the destruction of Herod
SUPERNATURALISM IN DEATH OF JAMES
'It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. ' Acts 12:1-2
This persecution came at the hands of Herod Agrippa-I, the grandson of Heron the Great (who attempted to put Christ to death). Herod was first and foremost a politician and was always concerned about his image and popular support. He was ambitious to please the Jewish people to maintain their favour and it was this passion that led him to persecute the Christians of the early church.
Reading Acts 12, We may ask a question that why was James martyred by Herod and Peter is released?
The answer to this is sovereign wisdom of God. The issues of life and death rest in the hands of a Jesus and we will not get the full answer to this question of James's death until we get to glory.
From our human perspective, James’s death was a tragedy, but from the perspective of a sovereign and supernatural working God, it was a fantastic blessing.
God delivered James as much or more than He delivered Peter. He delivered James through death and Peter from death.
Jesus reserves the right to do as he pleases, but in the case of James, he was better off than Peter because he was in heaven.
SUPERNATURALISM IN THE DELIVERANCE OF PETER
We can understand God’s supernaturalism in the way he gave deliverance to Peter when we read Acts 12:3-17, There are many things to learn in this passage
Peter’s Prison Condition
'After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover. ' Acts 12:4
Peter was put under maximum security. Sixteen soldiers were to watch him around the clock in shifts of three hours each. Two soldiers guarded the cell door, and two soldiers were chained to each arm of Peter.
Perhaps Herod heard how Peter had escaped mysteriously from jail once before and wanted to take no chances for escape this time (Acts 5:23). The plan was not to put Peter to death until after the Passover, but Peter was in jail for seven days.
Earnest prayer by the Church
'So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. ' Acts 12:5
The situation was desperate, and the church turned to God for a supernatural answer to their problem.
Humanly speaking, here was absolutely no hope for Peter's escape. The words “but the church was” shows this
The Christian church went to prayer. They petitioned to God, asked God to do the impossible, to work supernaturally, to work above and beyond the natural in delivering Peter. They knew the Old Testament promise, 'and call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.” ' Psalms 50:15
They prayed fervently and without ceasing and with one mind for the specific deliverance of Peter from the prison.
Apparently, there was no immediate answer. Peter went into jail in the first part in the week and surely church began to pray then. No answer on Saturday, none on Sunday, or Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday. Still no answer on Thursday or Friday. They prayed unitedly, continuously, and specifically, but no immediate answer to prayer came. There was only silence from heaven. But these Christians persevered in prayer until they got an answer.
Deliverance of Peter
'The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. ‘ Acts 12:6
With death imminent, what was Peter doing? “Peter was sleeping between two soldiers”
Instead of being restless, fearful and in the agony of apprehension, he was sleeping. He had perfect peace and was not biting his fingernails or crying with agony or cursing God for his condition. He was perfectly relaxed in a sovereign, supernatural working God.
The first result of the prayers of the church is seen here. Peter was kept in the peace of God during the most intense circumstances. Prayer can move God to cause his people to rest and relax during crisis.
'Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists. ' Acts 12:7
Without waking the guards, his chains fell off, dropping to the floor without a sound. Remember he is guarded in a high security prison with 16 soldiers watching him in shifts, not even one heard the sound. This was a supernatural act of God.
God waited until the last moment to intervene. God delayed to teach the church ,the lesson of persevering prayer and to teach Peter to rest in the Lord. We must never mistake a delay in answered prayer for a denial of our prayer.
'Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.” And Peter did so. “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,” the angel told him. Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him. Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen.” ' Acts 12:8-11
Peter was thinking all of this as a vision, Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches
Peter readily recognised that this whole event was the work of a supernatural act of sovereign God.
SUPERNATURALISM IN THE DEMISE OF HEROD
'In the morning, there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. After Herod had a thorough search made for him and did not find him, he cross-examined the guards and ordered that they be executed. Then Herod went from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there. On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people. They shouted, “This is the voice of a god, not of a man.” Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died. ' Acts 12:18-19,21-23
There was pandemonium in Herod's army that day as they feverishly searched all-over the city for Peter and could not find him “After Herod had a thorough search made for him and did not find him” They had no human explanation for a supernatural event.
Herod would not believe that Peter’s deliverance was a supernatural act of God.
We read how Herod died “an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died” God struck Herod with these worms crawling out of the openings in his body and eating him, He is a king when one dies there will be so much tradition / attention that would be there for any King’s death, but we read “he was eaten by worms and died”, Definitely a supernatural event of Death for Herod who opposed God’s will.
SUPERNATURALISM IN SPREADING OF THE WORD
'But the word of God continued to spread and flourish. ' Acts 12:24
Kings and kingdoms have fallen, republics and democracies have bit the dust, dictators and great nations have come and gone, but the Word of the Lord supernaturally grows and multiplies. Because the hand of God was there, we read this in prior chapter 'The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. ' Acts 11:21
Nothing can stop God from accomplishing His purposes in this world through the preaching of the gospel.
SPIRITUAL LESSON FOR US
How important is prayer? It is basic, essential, and necessary for the furtherance of Christ's kingdom in this world. It’s the key for us to unlock God’s supernatural power in us.
Prayer did not change God's secret plan, but God used these prayers to bring the ultimate end of the deliverance of Peter. From our human perspective, prayer does cause God to work for us. When the church prays in group God intervenes. This shows the tremendous power of prayer which God has placed at the disposal of His people.
Also, we must never mistake a delay in answered prayer for a denial of our prayer. God answers the prayer at his appointed time.
Much of our prayer is powerless because it lacks earnestness. Too often we almost pray with the attitude of wanting God to care about things we really don’t care too much about.
How do we pray earnestly?
Pray with simple words, as Jesus taught, pray with your heart to conviction of faith that it will happen with a supernatural touch from God.
Pray individually and as a Group
Fast and Pray - With fasting God breaks strong holds of Satan with his supernatural power.
Show your desperateness to God by letting your emotions in prayer, tell what you feel, share your hopeless sense to God to move his mercy on you. Open your heart to God in prayer. In Luke 22:44'And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. ' Here Jesus sweat dropping as blood as he prayed earnestly to Father in the “Mount of Olives”
Our God ‘Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 'Hebrews 13:8, what he has done in the early church is possible today for us as well, provided we ask things earnestly to our Father.
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