Apostle Peter Sleeps in a Maximum Security Prison Cell

We all enjoy a good night’s sleep. It is one of the greatest blessings of life. But there are times that we can’t sleep well at night; as we get older, problems of life catches up with us. Many people suffer from insomnia; thousands are addicted to sleeping pills. We often hear about its dreaded consequences, especially among the celebrities. Many overdose themselves to it and often end their lives. Now imagine a prison scenario- that is the last place where anyone can sleep well. As you lay in there, you stare at your uncertain future; you are now away from your family and do miss them. You have your legal situations to worry about. Oftentimes, the guilt of your past haunts you. If your surroundings are noisy, your problems are amplified. Now I want to turn your attention to the pages of God’s Holy word, the bible, to discuss a prison scenario.

Apostle Peter was sent to prison for the sake of the gospel. There is a great narrative about it in Acts 12. Just prior to his arrest, his friend and fellow apostle James was killed by King Herod. He is next. Herod arrests him and puts him in a highly secure prison. The last time he was in a prison, an angel had miraculously rescued him. (Acts 5:17-25) This time they are very careful. They do not want Peter to escape. They have another problem as well. His arrest was during the Jewish feast of the unleavened bread. It was against the Jewish law to try or execute anyone during that time; hence his trial and likely execution is delayed. Now, do you see an invisible hand of God in this situation? Yes, our God watches over His people and works mysteriously through the unexpected circumstances that they find themselves in provided they trust in Him. Let us read about Peter’s situation from the bible. “Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword. 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. 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 out before the people after the Passover. Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. 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.” (Acts 12:1-6)

Can you picture this? He is in a prison and his hands are chained. There is a soldier on both side and guards right outside the cell. And he is sleeping. Is n’t that amazing? That is the focus of this study. How could he have slept under those circumstances? There may be several reasons, but I want to focus on 3 of them here.

1. Sleep is a gift from God: In the last part of Psalm 127:2, the bible declares. “For He gives His beloved sleep”. I believe that the Lord gave him peace in the midst of those painful circumstances and granted him sleep. He can do that for you as well.

2. The church was constantly praying for him: That helps a lot. As the family of believers prays together on our behalf, God grants us peace and does wonders for us. Dear friend, do you have friends, family and church praying for you? If you do, great miracles are waiting for you. Sometimes in prison, you lose contact with the outside world and you may be saying, “You know what? No one cares about me anymore. They do not come to visit me. I do not have anyone to pray for me”. Don’t be discouraged. You can always call on Jesus. Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal savior? Have you surrendered your life to Him? If you have, be encouraged. Jesus is at the right hand of the Father and praying for you. He is all you need. Oh, what a great friend we have in Jesus!

3. Peter had a promise from the Lord: Some years ago, the resurrected Christ had spoken to Peter on the shore of the Sea of Galilee and lovingly restored him back to Himself. During that unforgettable encounter, Jesus had specifically addressed the issue of his death. Listen to the tender words of Jesus to Peter-“Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.” This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. (John 21:18, 19)

Think about it; there was a promise hidden in those words. Jesus is in essence telling Peter that he is not going to die young. Peter was still young during the prison sentence that we are learning about. No one can take away his life when he is still young! He probably slept believing in the words of his master. The rest is history! As he fell asleep in the everlasting arms of God, He sent His own angel and miraculously rescued him! You can read the full account in Acts 12.

Dear friend, are you going through some extraordinary difficulties? Are you stuck in a prison and spending anxious, sleepless nights worrying about the outcome of your case? You may not know what tomorrow holds for you. But remember, Jesus knows all your tomorrows. All you need to do is to trust Him. You may say, ‘you know what? Peter had the privilege of knowing Jesus personally. He also had a promise, but I do not have that’. Not to worry-“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8) The bible is the book God’s promises for you. “For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us” (2 Corinthians 1:20). “Fear not”, which is one of the most comforting promises of the bible, is mentioned 366 times –you can claim one of them for every day of the year and an additional one for the 366th day of the leap year! Do you know this God personally? He came seeking for you nearly 2000 years ago and died for your sins on the cross of Calvary. His arms are wide open to embrace you right now. If you are not born again, please pray this prayer now. “Dear Father in heaven, I am a sinner. I admit that I cannot earn heaven by my good works. I believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross of Calvary for my sins. I believe that He rose again from the dead on the third day. Lord, wash me and cleanse me from all my sins by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. I receive Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior now. I want to live according to your WORD daily. Thank you Lord”

If you have prayed this prayer from the bottom of your heart, you are now a child of God. Your sins are forgiven. Your name is recorded in the Book of Life in heaven. Please make it a point to meditate on the word of God daily. Let the WORD transform your life. You can claim the promises of the WORD for yourself and make them your own. Keep declaring them over your case, situations, family, children and everything that pertains to you. God’s WORD will never return to Him void without accomplishing its purpose. When you declare the WORD by faith, the angelic realm will be activated on your behalf and miracles will begin to happen. Attend a bible believing church and lead a holy life. Prepare yourself for His coming according to His WORD. Share the good news of His salvation with as many people as possible. His glorious appearance is near. May God bless you and your family. His plans for you are great.