Hope in the Darkest Hour

God is our story maker. The Holy Spirit is our biographer. He is the one who is writing our lives and regulating everything in our lives. 

Romans 8:28 says, ‘And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.’

God is working out everything for the good of those who love God and having been predestined by God. The miracles that we see in our lives and in others is proof that our miracle worker, God, lives. He is interested in our lives and pays attention to the minute details in our lives. He even cares about your pets at home. 

Acts 12:6 says, ‘The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance.’

Peter was merely a fisherman and with Jesus by his side, he became an apostle. He became the top leader of the Christian community at the time, eventually becoming a high profile personality.

That night, Peter was sleeping between two guards, chained to prevent him from running away. Peter, an apostle, was treated just as criminals were treated, even though Peter never rebelled, tried to run away or hurt anyone. Besides the guards by side and the chains on his arms, there were two other sentries placed at the entrance. With so many guards around him, chained and waiting for his verdict the next morning, Peter was sleeping. There was a high chance that the verdict was going to be against Peter. Another member of Jesus’ core team, James was already killed. His life was going to end the next day. But despite all this, Peter was sleeping.
 
Now, this is not possible in human nature. When a girl recognised Peter as Jesus’s apostle in the house of High Priest Caiaphas, Peter denied having any connection with Jesus. That was the actual nature of Peter. He was not someone known for his guts. At that point in time when the girl pointed her fingers at him, he could not accept that he was in fact a disciple of Jesus. That was Peter's human nature. This same Peter, after the Holy Spirit infilling in him, now peacefully sleeps in between two guards knowing full well that his end was near.

The reason for this peaceful demeanour, is the hope he had. The first kind was that he believed that if his ministry was not over, he would miraculously escape this situation. The second thought was that, if his ministry was over, then he would die tomorrow but would he be able to reach the heavens and unite with his creator. Peter was ready for anything, he had hope in Christ in life and death. Peter had hope whether he lived or died.(In Philippians 2.21, Apostle Paul said; “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain”.)

 In death he would be united with Christ and live out eternity without pain, without persecution, without struggles and praise the creator and enjoy his presence everyday. If you are in such situations, in the darkest and midnight hours of your life, God can give you hope. Peter was supernaturally freed by angels the very same night.

Acts 16: 22-39 says, ‘22 The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. 23 After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24 When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!” 29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. 34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household. 35 When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: “Release those men.” 36 The jailer told Paul, “The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace.” 37 But Paul said to the officers: “They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and escort us out.” 38 The officers reported this to the magistrates, and when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were alarmed. 39 They came to appease them and escorted them from the prison, requesting them to leave the city.’

Paul and Silas were locked in the inner cell by the jailer after they were flogged publicly. He was given a supernatural freedom from his situation. Paul and Silas conducted a praise party that night. The prison became a praise chamber that night. There was a great jailbreaking anointing. All the chains were broken, of all the prisoners in jail. The jailer and his family were saved that night. Supernatural miracles took place that night and all because of their attitude. Paul and Silas did not cry or mourn, instead they praised the Lord Almighty. Even in their darkest hour they looked into Jesus. 

As Psalms 34:5 says, ‘Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.’

Even in the darkest hour of your life, place your hope in God.