Never Should Have Made It

Acts 12:7 Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. "Quick, get up!" he said, and the chains fell off Peter's hands.

John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy...

When you get a chance, read the 12th chapter, but the jest of this was that Peter was supposed to have been killed all in the name of Jesus.  He should have never made it out of his prison cell that night.  He had a guard posted on both sides of him, guards outside the prison doors and the city was in the city with a big iron gate.  All this due to the enemy wanting to kill Peter.  He was never to have made it.  But the Lord sent an angel while Peter was sleeping and woke him up and the chains fell off his hands and led Peter past the guards and outside the city gates.  Until he was outside the gates did he realize that this was real - God had delivered him out of the hands of those who would harm him.

Thinking about this, the enemy has but one thing on his mind to steal kill and destroy us as children of God.  He will place us in a position where he thinks he has us locked up, tied up and so confused that we have no place to go. Not only that, but there are those of us around us at this time that seem to be more of a discouragement then an encouragement causing us to really believe there is no place to go.  We are back up in a corner and at every move we feel the chains getting tighter and the enemy is pushing us back further.  Just as was Peter's situation. 

If it is our finances, you aren't suppose to make it through, if it is depression - you are suppose to stay in a depressed state, If it is sickness - you are suppose to stay sick...if it is a health issue....you are suppose to allow yourself to believe that nothing will change...you get back up in a corner and allow depression to set in.

When Peter was bound up with guards on both sides, he was sleep.  On the verge of being sentenced to death he was sleep, just as Jesus was asleep on the ship being tossed all around. When we are going through hell on earth, we need to remember the example here and say Peace be still.  The devil thinks he has you, but you look back over your life and see all the times you should never have made it out of the storms of the past.  Look at how many times the enemy has tried to destroy you...you never should have made it.. When that happens you can begin to Praise God for what He is about to do for your present situation.

when God steps in...When God shows up...He will cause those situations of life keeping you locked up in chains to loose it self from you, cause your enemies to wonder how in the world did you get by me.  The guards were left wondering how did Peter escape, had no idea what just happened.  He to will do the same for us when the enemy has us backed up in a corner.

Remember God did not deliver Shadrach, Meshach or Abendego from the fiery furnace, but rescued them in the fiery furnance,  God did not rescue Daniel from the Lions Den, He rescued them in the lions den...God did not deliver Peter from the jail..He rescued him in the jail...God did not save Paul and Silas from the Roman jail..He rescued them in the Roman jail. I could go on and on but none of these should have made it out.

So when you are going through hell on earth...you can't achieve your goals, you can't pay your bills...you can't get your health together...people seem to be a hinderance more than a helper...you start giving God praises for what He is about to do and tell the enemy I will no longer walk by sight but I am walking by faith and I have my eye on the prize...I am looking to the hills from whence cometh my help, my help cometh from the Lord and I will not all you devil to stop me from reaching my goal.  I have come to far and you are to insignificant to stop me from pressing my way to my prize. 

God I praise you for the times in my life when I was backed up in a corner and when it looked like...looked like the end was here...you stepped in right on time and delivered me from the hands of my enemy.  Thank you Jesus

Original Post by mdb47374:

God I praise you for the times in my life when I was backed up in a corner and when it looked like...looked like the end was here...you stepped in right on time and delivered me from the hands of my enemy.  Thank you Jesus

Amen Mark, amen!!! I can't tell you how many times He's saved me, when He's stepped in right on time......Praise the Lord! Thank you Jesus!  
"Savior please.....keep saving me!" Hallelujah!!

~Maggie

Original Post by mdb47374:

 ...  the enemy has but one thing on his mind to steal kill and destroy us as children of God.  He will place us in a position where he thinks he has us locked up, tied up and so confused that we have no place to go. Not only that, but there are those of us around us at this time that seem to be more of a discouragement then an encouragement causing us to really believe there is no place to go.  We are back up in a corner and at every move we feel the chains getting tighter and the enemy is pushing us back further ... if it is a health issue....you are suppose to allow yourself to believe that nothing will change...you get back up in a corner and allow depression to set in ... When we are going through hell on earth, we need to remember the example here and say Peace be still ...  The devil thinks he has you, but you look back over your life and see all the times you should never have made it out of the storms of the past ... Look at how many times the enemy has tried to destroy you ... you never should have made it.. When that happens you can begin to Praise God for what He is about to do for your present situation ... when God steps in ... When God shows up ... He will cause those situations of life keeping you locked up in chains to loose it self from you ... when you can't get your health together ... starrt giving God praises for what He is about to do and tell the enemy I will no longer walk by sight but I am walking by faith and I have my eye on the prize ... I am looking to the hills from whence cometh my help, my help cometh from the Lord and I will not all you devil to stop me from reaching my goal.  I have come to far and you are to insignificant to stop me from pressing my way to my prize  ... God I praise you for the times in my life when I was backed up in a corner and when it looked like the end was here ... you stepped in right on time and delivered me from the hands of my enemy ... Thank you Jesus.

Mark, always God's perfect timing in reading the words He bestows upon you.  My brother, God surely is at work in you!  Bringing His truths to light so many will hear.

I woke up this morning feeling so defeated.  Cried in Andy's arms when he came home after working all night.  As I read this message from God ... more tears ... His truth shall set me free!

~Norma Jean

Amen! and thank you once again Mark for taking the time to come to this site to share your wisdom. It not only encourages me but so helps me remember to be thankful for all of those times. Oh my oh my If I look back on my life there were incredible times where I shouldn't have made it, there were time where I didn't want to make it, I wanted to end it all. I look back on my life and today I see a new person, transformed and hungry to learn more about Him. Those who knew me then would not now. The more I learn the more I am changed and it is through people such as yourself who give your time so unselfishly. For that I say thank you and thank Him.

Norma Jean - I feel your tears and I ask God to comfort you and give you strength. You are not alone and you also give so much of yourself. You have helped me so much since I came to this site. Please know that you are in my prayers and my thoughts. May you smile inside and out.

A New Zest for Life  By sheila on Sep 21, 2009 07:00 AM in Success Stories

Mark - how truly wonderful to sign on today and see your Success Story on the front page! Yours is a great testimony of the Lord "Showing Up" and rescuing you from your health situation and I KNOW He is waiting to Show Up for all of us - All for HIS GLORY!  

(I was also just amazed by the new "before" photo you posted - I hadn't seen that one before!) 

So, whether our success comes quickly or slowly - we be assured He hears our pleas and WILL COME and help us.  I know for me, I don't want to wait for a stroke or some other illness to take this problem seriously and make some serious changes.  It's taken me a little more time to see that in my mind, but as I have come to the reality of how precious life is - it's made me want to do my part and not continue to take it for granted.

Now, we'll get to learn from you as you experience the "maintenance" phase. So, know you'll still be in our prayers!

How awesome!  I am so glad you provided the link Lorraine regarding Mark's success story.  A New Zest for Life  By sheila on Sep 21, 2009 07:00 AM in Success Stories

Thank you Lorraine for the remarks, I give glory and honor to God for giving me the ability to do this.  I was a little disappointed in the story however, because the original picture I sent them was at church with the cross behind me, but they took the after picture off the gallery of my site, but God still gets the glory, because without him, I could have done nothing.

I have learned alot from using the tools on this site, and the people here from this group and others have been very encouraging.  I get no praise, but I give it all to HIM.

I would not have thought about sending it in unless you had not suggested it, but I thank you for it, so now maybe I could be more of an example for others not only spiritually but physically as well

God Bless

Mark