Peter is clothed and led out of the jail by the angel of the Lord.

Acts 12:8-11

Click for a description of the mark of the beast.
Click for a description of the image of the beast.

“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.” Acts 12:8

After being imprisoned, chained, and asleep, the angel encouraged Peter to clothe himself, put on his sandals, and to follow him. Peter was awaken from sleep and about to be free to walk openly in the Spirit of the Lord. While we are in chains in this world for living for Jesus Christ, some fall asleep, but the Lord wants us to be awaken to freely walk in the Spirit, to let His light shine through us in a dark world. “And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.” – Romans 13:11

When the Holy Spirit speaks of clothing, this refers to the clothing of the Spirit. Nakedness is considered to be living by the flesh, carnal desires, and worldly values, “…put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” Ephesians 4:24 Holiness is to have ugly and nasty attitudes put aside to allow the Spirit of Christ to live in us. This is a day-by-day process called the work of sanctification. What happened to Peter was literal when the angel of the Lord had him to put on his shoes and put on his garment. The Holy Spirit is speaking to us to walk and be clothed in the Spirit.

“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.” Acts 12:9

The Holy Spirit is letting us know that even the Apostles, whom we consider to be the most Holy of all Christians, have to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. Peter healed many people who were crippled, sick, and demon-possessed, raised Tabitha from the dead, and brought multitudes to say “Yes!” to Jesus Christ. Even then, when the angel of the lord had caused the chains to fall from his hands, woke him up, and was about to lead him to his freedom, he couldn’t comprehend that what was happening to him was real.

There are many things happening in this world by the hands of the angels of the Lord, and as Christians we are amazed and wonder if it is really happening. An angel of the Lord has unleashed global warming which is mentioned in Revelation 16:8-9 as the Fourth Plague. “Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory.” Revelations 16:8-9 Click here for a list of fulfilled prophecy since 194o’s. We witness what is happening in this world by the hand of God and we wonder, “Is this really happening?!”

Now is the time to awake and rededicate ourselves to follow the word of God, in the name of Jesus Christ, who promises freedom in the Spirit from the chains of this life. Through Christ Jesus, we are given eternal life. Put on the shoes of the Gospel of peace, maintain faith in God through Jesus Christ, be wrapped in the Truth of Christ, be shielded with righteousness, put on the Salvation hat, and carry the Bible within you. Ephesians 6:10-17

“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.” Acts 12:10

The Holy Spirit is letting us know that angels are not those we depend on because when their mission is complete, they depart from us. Angels ministers to us to lead us according to the will of God, as quoted, “Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?” Hebrews 1:14 However, Jesus Christ is the one we follow day-by-day and He will never leave us, “…having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.” Hebrews 1:4

As followers of Jesus Christ, we are being lead past the guards of this world that want to keep us imprisoned to the will of the beast and to keep us sleeping to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Those guards are the ones of today’s culture who live and govern by the beast that gives them what to speak, do, think, and feel. The beast that has the power to form thoughts and emotions intends to turn thoughts and feelings to iron when it comes to contemplating about Jesus Christ. The job of those of today’s culture is to keep the Gospel of Jesus Christ imprisoned and in slumber. In contrast, the Holy Spirit leads us to the Door, who is Jesus Christ. This is the door of our soul that opens into the presence of the Spirit by faith in Jesus Christ.

Today’s atheistic culture are hardened to the Holy Spirit and has made iron of the door to the Spirit. They oppose belief in God the Creator and reject the need for Jesus Christ. The iron door cannot be opened by trying to be good, nor by being charitable, nor by any other human efforts. The door opens by simply believing in Jesus as the Christ and Son of God and accepting God’s grace and mercy. We are sinners saved by grace, nothing else, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9

“So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.” Romans 9:16

“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.” Acts 12:11

The expectation of the Jewish people was to see Herod kill Peter Acts 12:1-4. That is the expectation of today’s culture, to kill Christianity with the helping hand of the governing authorities. In the United States, the churches have abandoned the Gospel of Jesus Christ to partner with community values. Government lawmakers no longer integrate the values of the Bible in their laws, policies, and executive orders. The educational system prohibits the teaching of the Bible in classrooms. And Christianity is not welcomed in any mainstream sector of society. In other places all around the world, the followers of Jesus Christ are literally persecuted, put in prison, and killed.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we are delivered from the expectations of today’s atheistic culture through the gift of eternal life, “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:28

The Holy Spirit in us is the guarantee of eternal life, and He leads us to say, “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.” “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.” Ephesians 1:13-14 Our inheritance is eternal life in the New Jerusalem. We are the “purchased possession”, purchased for God by the blood shed by Jesus Christ on the Cross to atone for our sin. Our redemption is our eternal body.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:16-17

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:11