ACTS 12: 1-12
1 ABOUT THAT time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to afflict and oppress and torment some who belonged to the church (assembly).
2 And he killed James the brother of John with a sword;
3 And when he saw that it was pleasing to the Jews, he proceeded further and arrested Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread [the Passover week].
4 And when he had seized [Peter], he put him in prison and delivered him to four squads of soldiers of four each to guard him, purposing after the Passover to bring him forth to the people.
5 So Peter was kept in prison, but fervent prayer for him was persistently made to God by the church (assembly).
6 The very night before Herod was about to bring him forth, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, fastened with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison.
7 And suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared [standing beside him], and a light shone in the place where he was. And the angel gently smote Peter on the side and awakened him, saying, Get up quickly! And the chains fell off his hands.
8 And the angel said to him, Tighten your belt and bind on your sandals. And he did so. And he said to him, Wrap your outer garment around you and follow me.
9 And [Peter] went out [along] following him, and he was not conscious that what was apparently being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.
10 When they had passed through the first guard and the second, they came to the iron gate which leads into the city. Of its own accord [the gate] swung open, and they went out and passed on through one street; and at once the angel left him.
11 Then Peter came to himself and said, Now I really know and am sure that the Lord has sent His angel and delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting [to do to me].
12 When he, at a glance, became aware of this [comprehending all the elements of the case], he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark, where a large number were assembled together and were praying.
Prayer is a very powerful tool to wage wars more so where your sword can not reach. That is why children of God should be fervent in prayers without being wary.
James, one of the Apostles of Jesus Christ was killed and it pleased the Jews because nobody reacted, nobody quried the government and the Christians then were beaten up to submission so were into hiding, in other words the actions of the government since it cannot be quried was tolerated.
In subsequent time they moved again to arrest and detained Apostle Peter and put him in prison for them to observe the Passover ceremony before killing him to please the people the more; But in this case the Children of God refused to tolerate any other attack metted out on them and refused to be silent over their attackers as such refused to tolerate any further abuse on their person(s) and swang into action of using a tried and tested weapon which can never fail and that is PRAYERS!
Do you know that some attacks on you was purposely carried out to create an impression to an onlookers not because you deserved it but to please your enemy(ies); Do not tolerate such. Bill Maher said
\”Don\’t get so tolerant that you tolerate intolerance\”.
Please do not tolerate any form of abuse, in other words do not give in to intolerance. Don\’t accept what your father, your God do not plan out for you, for every tree that is not planted by God most be uprooted amen. Don\’t tolerate evil when is done around you or is launched out at you always be in a battle ready as a good Christian perhaps not battling with the physical weapons like the enemies do but using that weapon which is not canal but strong and mighty to the pulling down of every stronghold which is in the word of God.
Don\’t tolerate disrespect to your person or vision, don\’t even allow anybody the comfort of being disrespectful to your vision Apostle Paul did not encouraged those trying him to show disrespect even though he was supposed to be at their mercy as a human being rather he reacted sharply when Ananias the high priest commanded those close to Paul to slap him on his mouth and pual said to him
\”God shall slap you, you whitewashed pigpen, what kind of judge are you to break the law yourself by ordering me struck like that?\”. (Acts 23:3) TLB.
When you keep quiet and decided to endure the assault and onslaught of the enemy, it becomes a habitual practice against you because he will be encouraged to try it on and on again. Try to put an end to the enemy\’s undue advantage over yourlife for God will not come down to fight for you if you do not authorized Him through your prayers.
Note that no matter how good or holy you are not everybody may like you; they will be so sad that you\’re alive triggers envy and jealous. That you are progressing in your job is another headache to them. That you have a happy home is another reason to bring disaffections amongst your family. Do you know that some people may gang up and agreed to come together to do one evil or the other to harm you or even pray and fast for your misfortune, yes that\’s true! Did it not happened when Apostle Paul was facing his own trouble and was being persecuted by the Jews. The Bible recorded that gangs of forthy men bound themselves together by oath and fasted and agreed to kill Paul on his way back to the council so that they will kill his vision and his mission in this world. God forbid!!!.
12 \”Now when daylight came, the Jews formed a plot and bound themselves by an oath and under a curse neither to eat nor drink till they had done away with Paul.
13 There were more than forty [men of them], who formed this conspiracy [swearing together this oath and curse].
14 And they went to the chief priests and elders, saying, We have strictly bound ourselves by an oath and under a curse not to taste any food until we have slain Paul.
15 So now you, along with the council (Sanhedrin), give notice to the commandant to bring [Paul] down to you, as if you were going to investigate his case more accurately. But we [ourselves] are ready to slay him before he comes near\”. (Acts12:12-15). AMB.
Yes! Some people may take pleasure in your distruction to the point of swearing not to relent until their motives are being executed. Refuse to allow them, arm yourself with the word of God and pray always to counter them.
Avoid everyone whose attitude to you does not encourage or edify your person. Don\’t encouraged a gister or people to abuse anything you believe in so that they don\’t implant seed of discouragement or failure in your mind, always look up to the AUTHOR AND FINISHER of your FAITH. Thanks. ✍️ Blessing I N Onugha.