Pastor Mac v.12 "I Made It Out!" Acts 12:4-11

words of encouragement and inspiration

"A Few Minutes with Pastor Mac"
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You make it all you need. Whatever you need. Whatever is broken. He can fix it. He's alive.

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Hello and good morning. Thank you for tuning in to another podcast of a few minutes with Pastor Matt. We hope God is blessing you thus well on this Sunday morning. And we hope God's power favour and strength be upon you for this new week that is upon us. If you can't make service, don't forget. We have Givlify app that you can give your donations and first fruits and uh praisegiving throughout the app. And um, if you can't make it to service, so don't forget about that. We always want to make sure we give opportunity to uh so seeds into God's ministry. And if you can't make it again, our website as well, uh Give the website and on our app, uh Gibbilify. Thank you again for joining uh few minutes with Pastor Matt Podcast. We're glad to have you here on this Sunday morning. And God's blessings upon you in favor of grace and mercy, confidence, strength. Oh, that's really good. Uh today, this morning, 12, 4 through, I think I started at 1. It was more, I started at verse 1. Read an AM translation or translation that we ask you to follow along. Now at that time, Aaron the Dripper, warned at first, the king of the Jews, arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to harm them. When he had James, the brother of John, put to death with a sword, and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to have Pete Peter arrested as well. This was during the days of unleavened bread, the Passover week. When he had seized Peter, he put him in prison, turning him over to four squads of soldiers of four each to guard him in rotation throughout the night, planning after the Passover to bring him out before the people for execution. So Pete was kept in prison, but fervent and persistent prayer for him was made to God by the church. The very night before Herod was to bring him forward, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers bound with two chains, and sentries were put in front of the door guarding the prison. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared beside him, the light shone in the cell, and the angel struck Pete's side and awakened him, saying, Get up quickly. And the chains fell off his hands. The angel said to him, Prepare yourself and strap on your sandals and get ready for whatever may happen. And he did so. Then the angel told him, Put on your robe and follow me. And Peter went out following the angel. He did not realize that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought it was seeing he was seeing a vision. And they had passed the first guard in the second, and came to the iron gate that leads into the city of his own accord. It swung open for them. And they went out and went along one street, one and at once the angel left him. When Pete came to the census, he said, Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent his angel and has rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting to do to me. The word of God for the people of God for the edifying of God. I didn't want to tag this few minutes and Pastor Mac broadcast, podcast. I made it out. I made it out. I made it out. That's the testimony for a lot of us. I made it out. There are some places you came out that you still can't fully explain. You know you were in it, you know it was real, uh, you know it had your bound, but how the odds were stacked against you, but somehow you made it out. And when you look back over it, you can't give your education the credit, you can't give your connects connections the credit, you can't give your money the credit, you can't even give yourself the credit. You got to say if it had not been for the Lord who was on my side. Uh Acts twelve opens in a dark season for the church. Uh Herod has already killed James, the brother of John. And when Herod sees that James' death pleased the people, he arrests Pete too. Peter isn't dealing with an empty threat. Somebody has already died. Herod intends to bring Peter out after Passover. But the implication the implication is clear. Peter is next. So Harrod locks Pete down, not one guard, not two. Acts 12, 4 says Peter was guarded by four squads of four soldiers. Sixteen soldiers assigned to one preacher. Harold says, You're not getting out of this one. But Harold made one mistake. He counted the soldiers, but he didn't count God. Somebody came into the church or to this podcast carrying something that looks impossible. The doctors have said something, the finances have said something, the family has said something, the enemy, your circumstances have said this time you're not getting out. But before you count yourself out, put God back in the equation. Because Acts 12 teaches us that when God decides it's time for you to come out, chains, guards, gates, and government cannot keep you in. And my testimony today is simple. I made it out. Despite all that was going on around me. I made it out. Well, first look at I was bound, but I was for I was not forgotten. And verse 4 through 6, they put him in prison with guards of 4, 16, and uh he was sleeping between soldiers, bound with two chains, sentries were in the front, guard in the prison. He's in prison, chained with two guards, guards on the outside door, and Herod has him secured. He had put 16 roaming throughout the night for each watch of the night. But verse 5 gives us one of the most powerful statements in the passage. Peter therefore was kept in prison, but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. Don't miss that little word, but Peter was in prison, but Peter was chained, but Herod had plans, but the guards were watching, but prayer was being made. Ah, church never underestimate what can happen when somebody starts praying. Herod had soldiers, the church had prayer. Herod thought he was in control. The church had prayer. Herod had Peter locked up, but the church had access to God. Your confinement does not cancel God's concern. Peter's locked up, but heaven hasn't lost his address. They changed Peter's location, but they didn't change God's ability to find him. Psalms number 139-7 said, Whither shall I go from thy spirit? Or whither shall I free from thy flee from thy presence? You can be in the hospital room. God knows where you are. You can be in a courtroom. You can be in grief. God knows where you are. You can be in depression and disappointment. God knows where you are. You can be surrounded by something you thought you could not escape on your own. God still knows where you are. Somebody praying for you matters. Peter's sleeping, but somebody else is praying. That ought to encourage somebody because there were seasons when you didn't even have the strength and the mindset to pray for yourself. Your spirit wasn't right. You couldn't pray for yourself. But mama was praying. Big mama was praying. Daddy was praying. The church was praying. The prayer warriors were calling your name. James 5.16 said, the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availed much. Sometimes you made it through because while you were sleeping, somebody was praying for you. Peace is possible even before deliverance comes. God almighty. Priest Pastor Mac, I'm doing the best I can. Look at Peter in verse 6. The execution may be tomorrow, but Peter asleep. Now that's peace. I just told you peace may come before deliverance comes. Somebody needs to get that peace now. Whatever you're in, deliverance may not be let may be later, but you have peace now. Somebody got to claim I got peace now. Peace like a floor in the river. Peace in my darling son Jesus. He don't know how the story's gonna end, Pete. But apparently Pete knows who holds the ending. Isaiah 26, 3 said, I will keep me in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee. Sometimes faith isn't shouting. Sometimes faith is being able to sleep when everything around you says you ought to be losing your mind. Tell somebody around you, I'm bound right now, but I haven't been forgotten. Then number two, God broke what I couldn't break. Seven through eight, suddenly. Somebody say suddenly. I like that word said an angel of the Lord appeared beside him in the cell. The angel struck Pete's side, awakened him. Get up, boy. Chains fell off his hands. Angel said, Prepare yourself, put on your shoes, put your clothes on. He did so. Said, put on your robe and follow me. Well, uh verse seven says, And behold, uh the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison. Here comes God. Peter can't pick the lock, Peter can't fight 16 soldiers, Peter can't break the chains, Peter can't negotiate where he may could cut one, but Peter can't negotiate with Herod. So God steps into a situation that Pete can't fix by himself. That'll preach right there. That'll talk to him spirit. Because some of us are exhausted because we've been trying to break things that only God can break. There are some chains determination can't break, some doors money can't open, some battles that connections can't win, some situations intelligence can't solve. And every now and then God will allow you to reach the end of your ability so you can discover the beginning of his sufficiency. God knows exactly what needs to fall off. Watch verse 7, and his chains fell off from his hands. Notice Pete didn't break them, they fell off. Peter didn't pick the lock, they fell off. Peter didn't wrestle himself free, they fell off because when God touches what has been holding you, what your hand has to let you go. Isaiah 54, 7 says, No weapon formed against me shall prosper. It may form, it may surround you, it may frighten you, it may slow you down, but it cannot override the purpose of God. Deliverance requires participation. And after the chains fall, the angel tells Pete, get up, put on your clothes, put on your sandals, gird yourself, cast your put your robe on, and then follow me. Don't miss this. God broke the chains, but Pete still had to get up. That's a word for somebody. Under the sound of my voice. God will give you freedom, but you got to walk in it. God would open opportunity, but you got to step into it. God can heal your hopes. You got to quit running back to what broke it. God can open the door, but you have to get up and move. Jesus said to the man that Bethesda, rise, take up your bed and walk in John 5 and 8. The miracle doesn't eneminate your responsibility. Ah, brothers and sisters, grace gets you free, but faith gets you moving. Stop wearing chains God has already broken. Some folk are physically free, but mentally still sitting in the prison. God forgave you, but you're still condemning yourself. God delivered you, but you're still defining yourself by what held you. God brought you through, but you still introduce yourself by the worst chapter of your story. Romans 8:1 said, There is now therefore no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. Baby, if God dropped the chains, quit picking them suckers back up. Tell somebody God broke what I couldn't break. Well, first I was bound, but I wasn't forgotten. Second, God broke what I couldn't break. Thirdly, the gate opened when I kept walking. Verse nine, verses nine through eleven. Tells us that he follows the angel. He came to his senses. He followed the angel. He didn't realize he was done, he thought it was a dream, a vision. Came to the iron gate. Swung open by itself. Went out. And at verse 11, Pete became and said, Now you know for certain that God has sent. I sent an angel. And that and that like us too, sometimes Pete not the only one, but sometimes we can't believe what's happening to us. It's too good to be true. Pete gets up, follows the angel. They pass the first guard, second guard. Verse 10 said they came to the iron gate that leading into the city, opened on his own accord. That's what I told that's what that's that's what I love. Here's what I love. God doesn't open the gate while Pete is lying down in the cell. The gate opens while Pete is moving and being obedient. Somebody ought to catch that. You keep saying, God open and then I move. Sometimes God says, Move and you'll see it open. There are doors you won't see open, standing still. Abraham had to go before he knew exactly where God was taking him. Get out thee out of the country until land that I will show you. Israel had to step toward the Jordan before the water moved. Joshua 3. Sometimes faith says, I don't see how this thing is going to work, but I'm walking anyway. I don't know how God is going to provide, but I'm walking. I don't know how God is going to fix my family, but I'm walking. I don't know what the next chapter looks like, but I'm walking. I don't know how I recovered from what happened, but I'm walking. God can make iron move. Luke intentionally tells us that this gate was iron. That means this was not some flimsy obstacle. This was designed to keep prisoners in. But when Peter arrived, iron moved. That's good news today because whatever looks immovable to you is still movable for God. Jesus said, with men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. Matthew 19, 20. God specializes in making stubborn things move. He hard hearts can move. Bad reports can move. Financial mountains can move. Closed opportunities can move. And even when the situation doesn't change the way we expect it, God can move us through it and keep his purpose intact. Verse 9 says, Pete thought he was seeing a vision. He doesn't fully comprehend what God is doing while it's happening. But verse 11 says, and when Pete came to you, says it, when he got his senses, he said, Now I know of surety. Now I know there are some things God has done in your life that only made sense afterward. While you were going through it, you were confused. But and you were while you were crying, you didn't understand. And while doors were closing, you didn't understand. While people were leaving, you didn't understand. While the plan was falling apart, you didn't understand. But after you got on the other side, you look back and said, Now I know. Romans 8 28, when he said, and we know that all things work together for good to them that love God. You didn't know it then, but you know it now. Church, I believe. Peter's testimony. There's a testimony in here. Peter looked back and said, I was in the cell, but I made it out. I was between soldiers, but I made it out. I had chains on my hands, but I made it. I had doors at the door, but I made it out. I had an iron gate in front of me, but I made it out. And because everybody in the room may not have been in Peter's prison, but everybody has had a prison. Somebody's prison was sickness. Somebody's prison was was uh uh divorce. Somebody's prison was grief, somebody's uh prison was addiction, somebody's prison was depression, somebody's prison was financial trouble, somebody's prison was your own bad decision, somebody's prison was something you don't even want anybody else to know about. But look at you. You cried, you but you made it out. You hurt, but you made it out. You almost quit, but you made it out. You didn't know how you were going to survive, but you made it out. The enemy said you were finished, but you made it out. And before you get too proud about it, you didn't make it because you were so strong. No, you didn't make it because you were so smart, you didn't make it because you had all the answers. The Lord brought you out. David said, He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the Miry clay. And Peter isn't the only one. Only one who came out. There was another man who was arrested, another man who was surrounded by soldiers, another man who was placed under government authority, another man whose enemies thought they had him where they wanted him. But they took my Jesus one Friday night, and they hung him high and stretched him wide, nails nails in his hands and nails in his feet. He dropped his head for me he died, and they put him in a morrow tomb, rolled a stone in front of the door, put guards all around the grave, and hell said this time he ain't coming out. Friday night he stayed there Saturday Saturday night he stayed right there but early early Sunday morning the stone rolled away and Jesus got up an all power in his hands and because he came out I know sin can't keep me. Because he came out I know death won't have the last word because he came out, I know chains don't have a final authority. Is there anybody in here that can yell? I made it out. You gotta I made it out testimony. You don't have to tell people what it was, just tell your neighbor I made it out, I made it out of some stuff that should have taken me out. I made it through some nights. I thought I would never turn in the morning. I made it past some people who thought I never recovered. I made it through some pain that almost broke my heart, but uh I'm still here by the grace of God, still praising, still worshipin, still believing, still trusting, still standing, and if anybody asks you how you know you made it, tell them the Lord did it. He kept me He covered me, he carried me, he fought for me, he opened doors for me, he broke chains for me, he made a way for me, and out of what I did, I'm out out of what had me bound, I'm out of what almost broke me, I'm out by the grace of God and since he brought you out I owe him some praise. You owe him some praise. Won't you open up your mouth and give him some praise? If he broke the chains, open your gate. If you know you shouldn't be here, you ought to shout with a loud voice. Amen. Invitation is extended now. If you don't know Jesus and the pardon of your sins, if you would like to get to know him better and get saved, allow him to come into your life. Simply say this prayer. Jesus, I need you in my life. I believe you died and rose again on the third day. I trust you to control my life and to enhance my future. If you said that prayer, uh it's as simple as ABC. Accept, believe, and commit. If you did that, we would love to hear from you. You may contact us through our email, get praise on at house of praisepp.org. Or you may go simply to our website, www.house of praisepp.org, contact us, and someone from our discipleship team will get back with you with other information you need in order to begin this new life in Christ. We love you to life, we look forward to hearing from you. Thank you again for listening to our podcast. We hope something was said, be a blessing for you, be a blessing for you this week. We know that we are still in the hands of God, and we will trust him to keep and deliver us. Bless you, God bless you. We love you to life, and you can't do anything about it. Look forward to next week. The Lord says we're saying, we hope that you are praying, reading the word, staying true, standing on the promises of the Lord. God bless you, and we'll see you next week.