RELEASING YOURSELF TO GOD

SERMON STARTER

        No one relishes the idea of being in bondage to someone or something. You lose the freedom and power of choice. Decisions are made for you. You have restricted control over your own life. Bondage is a hellish, claustrophobic experience. Rationally, no one chooses to go there. Sadly, many do end up there by making a series of bad choices that result in bondages' strait jacket.

        This message came to me early one morning last week. I awakened from deep sleep and heard in my head the 70's song, "Give them all, Give them all, Give them all to Jesus. . ."  I asked myself was there anything I need to give to him? Maybe, I'm still pondering that.

        I have been struggling for more than 32 months with extreme sciatic pain that travels down the right leg to the ankle. I haven't been sitting down. Since January I have attempted three types of therapy. I start this week with another round of epidurals, this time with a different doctor.

        I just want to be able to walk, exercise and fish as I finish out my final 15 or so years. Perhaps I need to release the outcome of my physical health to God. I've already given Him responsibility for my eternal salvation. Why not surrender my physical health as well?

Pastor Phil  <><<

       

 

 

 

GIVE THEM ALL TO JESUS

 

Are you tired of chasing pretty rainbows?
Are you tired of spinning round and round?
Wrap up all those shattered dreams of your life
And at the feet of Jesus, lay them down.

Give them all, give them all, give them all to Jesus
Shattered dreams, wounded hearts, and broken toys .
Give them all, give them all, give them all to Jesus
And He will turn your sorrows into joy.

He never said you only see sunshine,
He never said there would be no rain.
He only promised a heart full of singing
About the very thing that once brought pain.

Give them all, give them all, give them all to Jesus
Shattered dreams, wounded hearts, and broken toys.
Give them all, give them all, give them all to Jesus
And He will turn your sorrows into joy.

 

Matthew 11:28
"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

 

 

 

 

Pastor Phil Roland

Sheepfold Ministries - May 6, 2012

 

RELEASING YOURSELF TO GOD

ACTS 12: 1-12

"Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”          Matthew 18:18

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

29  "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30  "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."    Matthew 11:28

I.  THERE ARE MANY PRISONS THAT BIND US

          A. Peter was Imprisoned for Political Reasons – Acts 12:1-3

“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.”

1. The Majority isn’t Always Right

2. Doing the Right Thing doesn’t Involve People Pleasing

3. Peter was simply in the Wrong Place at the Wrong Time

4. Peter did Nothing Wrong

          B. We can become Bound like Peter through No Fault of our Own

                        1. Birth Defects – Genetically Inherited Diseases

                        2. Health Problems

                        3. Accidents can leave us Imprisoned in Restricted

                        4. Economic Disasters can leave us without Resources

            C. We can become bound by Compulsive Habits / Addictions

                        1. Unhealthy attachments to our Children

                        2. Need to Control People and Circumstances

                                    a. Seedbed for Worry

                                    b. Stuff of Migraines

                        3. The main person I need to release is Myself

                                    a. Release Unhealthy Expectations of myself and others

                                    b. Alanon's "Cause, Control, Cure" - Serenity Prayer

                                    b. Let it go! Give it all to Jesus!

D. We can become bound by Addictions       

            1. Bound / Imprisoned by our Own Actions

            2. Mood-Lifting in Unhealthy Ways

                        a. Substituting anything but God for our Delight

                        b. Substance Abuse: Food, Alcohol, Drug Addictions

                        b. Temporary Mood Lift / Life-Harming Consequences
            E. The Devil Loves to Shame and Mock Us

            1. He likes Parading our Sins before the world

            2. He Enjoys using our Failures to Shame us and our God

Releasing Yourself to God, cont., p.2

II.  PETER IS BOUND AND IMPRISONED FOR EXECUTION

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.” Acts 12:4,5

A. Herod was taking No Chances with Peter

            1. He doesn't want Peter's disciples releasing him

                        2. An ancient Squad of Roman Soldiers was 8 Men

                        3. Herod was Guarding Peter with 48 seasoned Soldiers

            B. Constant, Earnest Heart-Felt, Without Ceasing, Intense Prayer

                        1. Greek Understanding is “Stretched-Out Prayer”

                        2. Prayer changes Things: It changes us / Our circumstances

                        3. Stretched-out Prayer reaches the Throne-Room of God

                        4. Stretched-out Prayer touches His Heart and He responds

            C. Hopeless Situations Call for Prayer that Cries out to God

 "Can a woman forget her nursing child, And not have compassion on the

  son of her womb? Surely they may forget, Yet I will not forget you.

1. 16    See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands;”  –Isa. 49:15,16a
2. 1.  This is Prayer that Looses us and Sets us Free

2. A Mother finds her Infant’s Cries Irresistible

3. Even so, the Heavenly Father hears and Answers our Prayers

                      "'Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty

                         things, which you do not know.'"  Jeremiah 33:3

III. GOD'S POWER THAT FREES US - Acts 12:6

"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.

            A. Peter did no "Self-Help" change of heart, didn't need to Repent

                        1. While Peter was sleeping, God showed up

                        2. In a Prison, surrounded by 48 guards

            B. God's light shines in Peter's darkness - v. 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."

1. God Illuminates what he wishes to set free

2. What kind of Light has God shined into your Darkness?

            C. Chains of Bondage Fall off and we are Released

            D. We are Enabled by God's Releasing Power - v. 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."

            E. We are Directed by God's Releasing Power - v. 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."

            F. We are Protected by God's Releasing Power - v. 10a
            "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;

Releasing Yourself to God, cont., p.3

                        1. Amazingly, there were TWO guard Posts unaware

                        2. The Guards' Lives were on the Line

                        3. God accomplishes what is Humanly Impossible - v.10b

                        "and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the

                         angel departed from him."

            G. God doesn't do it all for Peter - v. 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."

                        1. Peter thinks at first he's having a dream or hallucination

                        2. He still has to stand on his feet and do something

                        3. He went to where Christians were gathered - v. 12
                        "So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the                         mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were                                             gathered together praying."

4. Peter Persistently Knocked - vs. 13, 16

                        13  "And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named

                         Rhoda came to answer. 16  Now Peter continued knocking; and

                         when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished."

5. Peter Wisely Hid Himself - v. 17

                        "But motioning to them with his hand to keep silent, he declared to                           them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said,                                 "Go, tell these things to James and to the brethren." And he                                              departed and went to another place."

H. God will eventually Destroy our Enemies

                        1. Are you in Bondage and need Releasing Today?

                        2. In Bondage to the opinions and reactions of others?

                        3. Feel like you're in a Box?

                        4. You can find Freedom and Release today!

                        5. Turn to Jesus and be made whole. . .

                        6. Give it all to Jesus. . .

 

 

RELEASING YOURSELF TO GOD, text:

12:1  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."

12  So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying.

13  And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer.

14  When she recognized Peter's voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate.

15  But they said to her, "You are beside yourself!" Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, "It is his angel."

16  Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished.

17  But motioning to them with his hand to keep silent, he declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, "Go, tell these things to James and to the brethren." And he departed and went to another place.

On 5/19/2012 11:38 PM, BRO. RON WASILCHAK wrote: