Acts 12:7

“Now behold, and angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying ‘Arise quickly!’ And his chains fell off his hands.”

                Deliverance has come for Peter! The requests of the church have been answered. No longer was Peter to die by the hands of Herod; but instead, the Lord was to use Peter to write epistles, minister and strengthen the church of Jesus Christ. Though he was sound asleep, content with his perceived future of death, he still complied wit ht he angel of the Lord and his chains fell off of him for his escape.

                Though I’ve never seen or heard of an angelic visitation in my lifetime, I’ve definitely have had “light shone in the prison” type of experiences, particularly when I first believed I was saved. When the light of the Lord engulfs the room, and the peace and joy of the Lord flooded my soul, I could proclaim with full assurance that “there’s no condemnation for those who are in Jesus Christ!”

                When the Lord delivered Peter out from his prison, the prison was no longer a prison, but a fresh turning point of his walk with the Lord. What’s interesting about this passage was that it says nothing about the guards that were in the prison. Were they blinded? Were they knocked out by the angel? Were they on their midnight break? Well there was nothing to be said about them like how the adulteress suddenly had no accusers present after Jesus entered the scene. What mattered was that Peter was delivered; his past bondage was no more, “his chains fell off his hands.”  And now he can go out and do the works that God will have him to do.

                Application: When the Lord comes to deliver me from a particular sin or bondage, I can remember that the condemners that used to tear me down have fled from the Lord. Not only that but my chains are gone, I don’t have to look back at my chains and tangle myself in them again; the Lord has freed me and has a new direction for me in my faith. I can always remember of my past bondage of doubt, lust, and other types of sins that the Lord has freed me from and hasn’t come back to master me; and use that to reassure myself that I will be delivered from my sin.

“Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. –John 8:36