Wide Open Doors – 3
Subject – Chains Falling Off
By Rick Welborne
1 Corinthians 16:9 (NLT2) 9 There is a wide-open door for a great work here, although many oppose me.
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."
–As we put on His armor every day, as we bless the Lord at all times, as we have committed to prayer and seeking God...we know amazing things will happen.
–It is a joy and a privilege to seek the One Who has given everything for us! He has given us Jesus but yet He says there is more!!!
Romans 8:31‑32 (NKJV)
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
--I encourage you to find time to fast each week to truly see God move.
Isaiah 58:6-9 (NKJV)
6 "Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh?
8 Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
9 Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; You shall cry, and He will say, 'Here I am.'
–There are many adversaries...and they want to kill, steal, and destroy! But:
1 Corinthians 16:9 (NLT2) 9 There is a wide-open door for a great work here, although many oppose me.
1. We Can Expect Opposition.
Acts 12:1 (NKJV) 1 Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church.
–I believe the enemy is sending out harassing spirits to fight against the church and it comes in different forms...comes thru thoughts, thru people, thru family, thru all kinds of means:
Ephesians 6:10‑13 (NKJV)
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
–Do not give up because we are so close to the door...a wide open door.
2. Paul Arrested.
Acts 12:4 (NKJV) 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.
–Well if he had been living right he would not have had all that opposition...let me say it in a different way...because he was living right he had opposition!
–Paul was doing the will of God so therefore he had adversaries. We are no different!
1 Corinthians 16:9 (NLT2) 9 There is a wide-open door for a great work here, although many oppose me.
--The key to Paul’s deliverance was thru prayer:
Acts 12:5 (NKJV)
5 Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.
Isaiah 58:6 (NKJV)
6 "Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke?
Acts 12:6 (NKJV) 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.
–How many of you know Paul was in deep trouble? No way...no way was he coming out of this one...two chains...between two soldiers...more soldiers outside the door.
–The enemy wants us to look at our situation and just say there is no way...no way this time!
–I encourage you not to forget the God factor...it is not the size of your giant but the size of your God. As we pray earnestly for those who need to be set free...the chains will fall off.
James 5:16 (NIV) 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
–We who have been made righteous by the blood of Jesus have been praying and I believe our prayers have been powerful and effective.
–We are just waiting on our prodigals, our bodies, our finances, our families, our church to line up with the Word of God and the spears of prayer in the Spirit that we have sent out!
3. Chains Fall Off and Doors Are Wide Open.
Acts 12:7 (NKJV) 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.
–It is time that we understand that God wants the chains to fall off and for doors to be wide open.
–The angel struck Peter...maybe the Holy Spirit or the Word of God has been striking you and telling you to “Arise quickly” God is about to set you free!
–All this blessing the Lord at all times, this putting on the armor every day, all this fasting and praying have been so that you can get free...get ready...get ready!
Isaiah 58:6‑8 (NKJV)
6 "Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh?
8 Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
--So what happened when Peter’s chains fell off? Good question!
Acts 12:8-10 (NKJV)
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.
–Remember the guards were standing to keep the prisoner Paul in...but when God gets ready to bring them out, when the saints are fasting and praying...the door has to open.
–The chains fell off and Peter was led by the angel thru every door...thru every gate...the gate opened of its own accord...we thought this was a modern invention.
–God wants your chains to fall off tonight so that you can walk thru every door that God has set before you!
–All God has to do is speak the Word, to send His angel, and you will be set free!
–Key...do you want to be free and do you want it to be tonight?
Psalm 107:8‑14 (NKJV)
8 Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
9 For He satisfies the longing soul, And fills the hungry soul with goodness.
10 Those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, Bound in affliction and irons‑‑
11 Because they rebelled against the words of God, And despised the counsel of the Most High,
12 Therefore He brought down their heart with labor; They fell down, and there was none to help.
13 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, And He saved them out of their distresses.
14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, And broke their chains in pieces.
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