The Enemy is within – Prof Ransford Gyampo

“When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed that, she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, “Peter is at the door!”-Acts 12:14

Introduction-

Acts 12:1-14 has been narrated as a story with many lessons. A few more are revealed for us this week. Herod had killed James and the Jews to which James belonged, were happy. This kind of approval from the Jews encouraged Herod to get Peter arrested and imprisoned to be killed too, after a public trial.

But this time, the church decided to pray for Peter. They prayed to the point that, the night before the public trial of Peter, an angel of God was sent to free Peter from the prison. After his release, Peter went to the house of Mary where many people had gathered and were praying. He knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant named Rhoda went to answer the door. But when she recognized Peter’s voice, she didn’t open the door but run back to tell the people who were praying that Peter was at the door.

Exposition –

1. James was killed and his own people approved it. The enemy of a man is his own household and people from his inner circles. We must be careful of the people around us. They smile with us but they are always wishing our downfall. Those around you who tell you they wish you well, may not truly be your well wishers. We must all be careful of them.

2. Peter had suffered in jail and had been released. The Bible says the gate to the city opened on it’s own accord for Peter to walk all the distance to where the believers had gathered. At the entrance , the servant or helper, Rhoda, could not immediately perform the simple task of opening the door for Peter to enter. The lesson here is that, sometimes, the people who help us are the very people who also destroy or refuse to perform simple tasks for us to receive our breakthroughs. People through whom God can bless us are the same people through whom the devil can destroy us. In other Biblical account, it was Rhoda who went to tell the brethren about Herod’s intention to kill Peter, an information that pushed the brethren to pray for Peter. But it is the same Rhoda who didn’t open the door for Peter.

3. You may have gotten all the education and done all paper works to the point that all can recognize your journey towards the fulfillment of your destiny. All that you may require is a simple recommendation or a small seed capital or a little more network connection from your uncle, your friend, or someone who has previously helped you. Yet for whatever reasons, they won’t help. There are indeed people who can help us by a simple phone call but for some flimsy or inexplicable reasons, they won’t help. Peter had done all the walking and yet Rhoda couldn’t simply open the door for him.

4. When people are secured and comfortable, they do not show any urgency in helping the poor and needy. Rhoda was comfortable in the house and hence she couldn’t see the sense of urgency in helping Peter who was uncomfortable outside.

Our Prayer for the week-

1. We are tired of the hand of man that sometimes serve us and block our chances at the same time. May every opportunity for us open on their own accord, without the help of any man, or any Rhoda, just as the iron gate to the entrance of the city opened on its own accord to Peter.

2. May God drive away people who we know can help us but in reality are useless to us, and keep only those who can be channels of our blessings

3. May our prayer requests for the week and beyond, be granted in the name of Jesus. For we are indeed tired of the hand of man that helps and envies our progress at the same time. If the iron gate opened for Peter by itself without the help of any man, may our breakthroughs come to us by themselves from God. Amen!