Steven Furtick - Your Miracle Is Closer Than You Realize
This is an excerpt from: This Is What A Miracle Feels Like
So, the proof sometimes that you’re doing what you’re supposed to do is that a resistance comes to contain you from continuing to do it. Don’t assume that just because it’s tense in your home right now that necessarily means you’re doing it wrong. You may need to adjust your strategy. You may need to do it a little differently going forward.
You may need to take a cue that something needs to change, but please understand that Peter is not in prison for something he did disobediently. He’s in prison for fulfilling his very purpose, and the church is praying for God to bring him out. I mean, if this was called the book of Feelings, what would Acts, chapter 12, be? It would be a church that was praying but not really believing that what they were praying was possible. I slipped this in for everybody who has ever come into a worship service, and we sang something like, «I trust in God, » and you lifted your hands and felt like a hypocrite, because you were not trusting God in that moment you put your hands up.
But the act of worship was obedience, even if the feeling of worship did not prompt it. The act of kindness is obedience even if you can’t stand the person. Peter is in prison precisely because he is in the center of his purpose. I would suggest to you that sometimes the prison proves your progress. Sometimes the difficulty proves, the challenge proves, the struggle proves you are growing stronger and making a difference for God. If you go to a Panthers game this year, nobody will come up and tackle you unless you have the ball.
When you have the ball, they hit you over what you carry. When you have the ball, they hit you over what you have the potential to do. When you have the ball, they hit you, because if they let you get too open, you might make something happen, and you might make the playoffs, and you might put six on the board. So, this is what a miracle feels like? It shows up at the door, and you can’t even open the door because you’re so afraid. Sometimes it’s at the door and you are so disappointed. I mean, let’s give the church credit. They were praying. It’s a miracle they were still praying under the persecution they were under.
One of their main leaders had been beheaded just days ago. His name was James. When you read the Gospels, you read about Peter, James, and John. That James. They took him out, cut his head off, and Peter was next. On the night they were deciding his fate, the church was praying, and Peter got out. But notice something here. I never noticed it before. I preach this passage about every two or three years. It’s something I really love. Maybe there are a lot of things I need God to bring me out of too, so it gives me hope and energy for that. It never struck me before where it said Peter kept knocking… I always thought that was cool. They opened the door and saw him, and they were astonished. I never noticed what Peter did next.
This is what I want us to think about for a moment today. Peter is standing there, and he’s on the run. Nobody knows he’s gone because God snuck him out of his cell. Sometimes God doesn’t do it in a dramatic way. Sometimes he sneaks you out. Sometimes he sneaks you out so well you don’t even know you’re gone yet. You wake up one day and say, «Oh, I don’t even want to call them back. Oh, I don’t even want to go over. Oh, I don’t even want to taste that. I don’t like the taste of that. Blah! It tastes nasty». He’s sneaking out, and he gets to the place where he knew some people might be praying. You would think he was going there for safety.
The only problem with that… (All of you who are listening on a podcast, I am circling words on a screen. I wish you could see it, because my handwriting is amazing and my artistic ability is unparalleled. I’m doing some calligraphy up here.) It said, «He motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. 'Tell James and the other brothers and sisters about this…'» This is a different James, not the one who’s dead. «'Tell James and the other brothers and sisters about this, ' he said, and then he left for another place». And we don’t know where he goes. But before he left for another place… He has to hurry now. He snuck out of prison. He doesn’t have much time.
This is what a miracle feels like. You’re out, but you’re still running. You’re out of that thing, but you’re headed to another place. Did you see that? «He left for another place». But along the way he goes, just to show the praying church at John Mark’s mother’s house that he was still here. The Bible says he also, before he left to go to another place… I’m sure God had a lot more for Peter to do. He went on to do amazing things. He went on to be one of the most significant figures in the New Testament church. But before he left, he told them, «Be quiet». They’re freaking out. «Peter»! He’s like, «Shut up. They’re trying to kill me. The Lord snuck me out». «What do you mean? They let you go»? «No, not them. He did. They didn’t let me go; he did. He let me out. Now shut up». He’s a wanted man. Right?
So, what is he doing standing here at their door out in the open? He’s not going inside. He has this whole conversation at the door. He never even goes in. But the Bible says not only did he show them that God had kept him, but he described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. Now that’s different, because when they saw him, they could have assumed he was released by Herod. He had to clarify, «It wasn’t Herod who let me out». Sometimes people don’t change, but the God who never changes can take you in the same situation, and nothing changes about the situation, but everything changes for you. He began to describe how the Lord had brought him out of prison.
Touch your neighbor and say, «You wouldn’t believe me if I told you». If I told you how God brought me out, if I told you how I kept my mind, if I told you how he kept me sane, if I told you how I paid this bill while that bill was talking to that bill, and my bills had baby bills, and the baby bills all ganged up and started eating me like monsters, like piranhas… If I told you how he did it, you wouldn’t believe me. You wouldn’t believe how God brought me out. He stops to tell them how. He described how the Lord had brought him out of prison.
So, let’s run it back. Let’s have a conversation. Peter is standing at the door with us today, and God brought him out of a prison. You need God to bring you out of a prison. It may be the prison of your own pride. It may be the prison of the pain you feel, because just like the church was, we are all dealing with a loss we experienced while reaching toward a future we hoped for. Do you know how hard it is to pray for Peter when you just lost James? Do you know how hard it is to believe «My life is going to be better, and I’m going to be happy again one day» when you thought that six months ago? Do you know how hard it is to trust somebody who’s new when the people you knew you could trust proved you were wrong?
Thus is the situation. Yet now we have a church that was praying, not really even believing it was possible but still praying, and Peter who goes the whole journey not even knowing that what was happening was really happening. They’re standing here at the door, because this is what a miracle feels like. I don’t know if that’s exciting, but it’s true. It’s the difference between the baby pictures they put on Instagram and the 3:00 a.m. feedings of what being a mom feels like.
See, the first one is what being a mom is filtered like. The second one is what being a mom feels like. When you are in a miracle, you may feel like the church praying in John Mark’s mother’s home. «God, do it, even though I’m not sure you can. God, we’re praying even though we’re still in pain. We’re praying through these tears. We’re believing, but kind of not». So, Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying. Peter said, «I’ve got to tell you how the Lord brought me out. You won’t believe it. The night before Herod was coming to bring me to trial, and I didn’t know the outcome… Y’all, you’re not going to believe this. Shh! Keep your voices down. I need to tell you what I was doing in the prison cell. You’re not going to believe it, because if you would have told me I was going to be thrown in prison…»
This is Peter speaking. This is as if Peter was describing how the Lord brought him out. «I would have thought I would have had an ulcer. I would have thought I would have been pacing all around the cell. I would have thought I would have been freaking out, but it was the most amazing thing. While I was waiting to see if I was going to live or die, I was sleeping». «I’m sorry, Peter. Speak up. Did you say you were singing, like Paul and Silas»? No, that’s Acts 16. This is Acts 12. That hasn’t happened yet. Paul is all boisterous about it. He’s singing in prison.
Peter said, «I don’t know how. I can’t explain it, but somehow, while I was waiting, not even knowing the outcome, I was sleeping». «Peter, say it one more time. What were you doing while you were waiting to see if you were going to have your head cut off»? «I can’t explain it. I know it makes no sense. I was sleeping». Sometimes this is what a miracle looks like. Sometimes you do it with a lower thread count. Sometimes they don’t even fluff your pillow or put a mint on it. Definitely not one of those cruise ship wash cloths they roll up to look like a duck. None of that. No comfort. No certainty. But I slept.
Tell somebody, «I know you won’t believe me, but I was sleeping». «I couldn’t explain it, but God gave me a supernatural peace». How many have that testimony? «I know if I try to explain it to you, it won’t make sense, because I should have been freaking out. I should have been going crazy. I should have been shaking the bars. 'This isn’t right! ' I at least should have been praying, but I…» «Oh, wait a minute. Peter, you were sleeping? That makes total sense, because we were praying. That’s amazing. Right? We were praying, but we didn’t have any proof that it was working. But now you’re standing at the door to tell us you were able to do this because we were willing to do this».
God said, «It’s working while you sleep». Just like the human body recovers during rest, God said, «I am building your case right now while you rest. I have somebody praying for you who you haven’t even talked to in 24 months. I have somebody praying for you who you don’t even like. I have somebody praying for you. I’m here because…» Peter said, «Really? Y’all were praying? What time did y’all start praying»? I bet it was around the same time. I bet the moment they started praying, Peter passed out. I bet he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. God said he brought you to church this morning, and when you go home tonight, you’re going to have the same problem, same prison, but a different sleep, because God is going to close your eyes and make you lie down in green pastures, because this… To pillow your head in a prison makes no sense. It’s a miracle.
Peter, did you fall asleep because you knew God was going to bring you out? «No. I fell asleep because there was nothing I could do about it, and it had to be God». So, when you’ve done all you can do, sleep on it, like a baby freshly fed with the milk of the Word of God. «I’m going to sleep on this thing». When he brings you out, you’re going to need your rest for what’s next. (I feel like I’m doing therapy for somebody today. Somebody in here is too cheap to hire a professional therapist, so you get me.) «I was sleeping. I don’t even really know. It was like God knocked me out for the surgery. It was like I came to a point… I can’t even tell you exactly when it happened, but I was sleeping».
He described how the Lord brought him out. «I was sleeping between two guards». Have you ever had to sleep between two things? «I don’t know what tomorrow holds, and I can’t change what yesterday did, but somehow I was sleeping». God told me about one of my kids a couple of years ago. I was so worried. He said, «I’ve got them. Stay out of it». That was hard for me to hear, but I already did all I could do. If I could do something else, I’d do something else. God said, «I’ve got them. Stay out of it». When he said that to me, and I slept on it, I woke up to find he’s really, really good at doing stuff while I sleep.