Acts 12:6-11 

⁶ 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. ⁷ 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. ⁸ 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. ⁹ 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. ¹⁰ 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. ¹¹ 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.”

“I told you so!”

One commonly uttered phrase that would not amuse anyone is, “I told you so!” When someone remarks, “I told you so,” it feels like “rubbing salt to the wound.”

When we commit blunders after a warning, our foolishness slaps to our face. When misfortune occurs, we normally think something foolish has been made. But to obey the Lord’s instruction and still experience unpleasant thing is not foolishness.

The 1^st century disciples were warned not to teach in Jesus’ name but they continued. King Herod arrested some of them; James was killed; Peter was imprisoned.

⁶ 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. 

Obedience to Christ brings persecution; unpleasant persecution helps us see God’s glory. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, persecution is not absent but we still have peace.

1. Instruction

⁷ 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. ⁸ 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. ⁹ 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. 

In our passage, the angel, the messenger whom God sent to free Peter from prison gave instruction as if God was the One speaking to Peter. Observe the word ‘said’ in v. 7 & 8, as well as the word ‘told’ in v.8, ⁷ “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists. ⁸ 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, the Greek word used for ‘said’ and ‘told’ is λέγω [Légō].

This word λέγω [Légō] being used when the angel gave instruction to Peter is the same λέγω [Légō] that the Lord Jesus uses each time He says, “I tell you the truth.”

Légō originally means, “lay down to sleep,” used later of “laying an argument to rest,” i.e. bringing a message to closure – properly, to say (speak), moving to a conclusion (bringing it to closure, “laying it to rest”).

When the Lord Jesus says, “I tell you the truth,” each time He gives instruction, it is the ultimate verdict, the final instruction to be obeyed and no appeal can change it.

When the angel of God gave Peter instruction, Peter followed the angel without any hesitation, without any argument, without delay. Argument or challenging God’s instruction breeds disobedient attitude and callous heart. Peter did not ask or question the authority of the angel; he just followed the angel. Peter did not even ask, “How about these chains, the guards, the gate?”

Peter filled with the Holy Spirit followed the angel like an obedient disciple.

Obedient disciple is actually redundant, repetitive because a disciple is expected to be obedient; when a believer is disobedient, he does not qualify as disciple. 

Born Blind

In John 9:1-7, the Lord Jesus healed a man born blind.

¹ As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. ² His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

³ “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. ⁴ As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. ⁵ While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

 ⁶ After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. ⁷ “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.

God allows struggles or difficulties in life to display the glory of the Lord when we obey. The glory of God will be experienced if we follow God instructions without delay.

The angel of God struck, nudged, and roused Peter to get his attention– to wake him up. The Lord Jesus put mud with his saliva in the eyes of the man born blind, why?

Why not just say a word like He did to others He healed from blindness?

His obedience to the instruction to go and wash his eyes in the Pool of Siloam was display of faith that enabled him to experience a miracle of his life. For sure, the blind may not see the dirt in his eyes but it must be irritating feeling.

Whenever the Lord gives instruction, He expects obedience from those who want to experience the glory of God. And when God’s instruction has some kind of urgency, He would strike our side or make us not feel uncomfortable with our situation for us to move on from where we are.

Are you imprisoned by your circumstances because of your obedience to God? Do you feel like difficulties or struggles limits you from being more effective witnesses?

You want to obey but something hinders, obstructs, or impedes you to be in a situation God wanted you to be.

2.  Impediment

⁷ 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. ¹⁰ 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.

Peter has been very active in witnessing and he was arrested and imprisoned. God allowed Peter to be imprisoned for him to experience the power and glory of God. Would Peter have known that he can get out of the prison without any hassle if he was not thrown in jail in the first place?

How do we know that God can heal us if we were not sick? How can we experience that God is our provider if we have abundance of everything? How can we trust the Lord if there is nothing for us to trust Him for?

Many of our problems and struggles are God’s instruments for us to keep trusting Him. God allows obstacle, struggles, or impediments for us to experience more of His power.

Chains fell off from Peter’s wrist, guards did not notice him, the gate was opened by itself, and Peter went through it. The author specified those three impediments or obstacles [chain, guard, gate] to Peter’s freedom for us to believe and trust God that nothing can stop His plan for us.

Go Back!

Elijah prophesied that there will be no rain for years in Israel and it happened. When God commanded Elijah that He will send rain the sky was very clear. Elijah told king Ahab that rain will be coming but no cloud in the sky, no nothing.

1 King 18:41-45

⁴¹ And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain.” ⁴² So Ahab went off to eat and drink, but Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, bent down to the ground and put his face between his knees. ⁴³ “Go and look toward the sea,” he told his servant. And he went up and looked. “There is nothing there,” he said. Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.” ⁴⁴ The seventh time the servant reported, “A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea.” So Elijah said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’” ⁴⁵ Meanwhile, the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rain started falling and Ahab rode off to Jezreel.

Elijah’s servant must have been praising God when he saw Elijah’s prayer was answered. He was told to look toward the sea if there was any sign of rain; no sign of rain; no cloud. He might have been anxious; six times he saw nothing but on the 7^th time he saw a small cloud. Elijah knew that the small cloud was the signal of heavy rain but the servant might still have wondered until the heavy rain finally started falling.

When God gives instruction and we feel the urgency to obey, we will see His glory. The problem is, “Do we know when God is giving us instruction of what to do?”

Elijah prophesied drought and heavy rain and both favorable and unfavourable situation happened whether King Ahab would like it or not. When God gives instruction, it may look negative or not beneficial to us but God always commands us to do things favourable or valuable for us and for His glory.

Pray that God put you in a situation where you can clearly hear His instruction for you. Pray that God would help you recognize His voice when He speaks specifically to you.

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