spiritual battle, Herod Struck Dead (Acts 12)

A quick memory refresher from the last devotion post:  Peter had been thrown into prison because king Herod wanted to earn the favor of the people.  The Jews loved it when king Herod persecuted the Christians.  But when Peter had disappeared from the prison - even though Herod had put in place four guards watching him at all times.  TWO OF THEM had even been chained to Peter!  But an angel came during the night, and walked Peter right out of there as if he had been made invisible.

Now king Herod was livid...

(Acts 12:18-22) Now when day came, there was no small disturbance among the soldiers as to what could have become of Peter. 19 When Herod had searched for him and had not found him, he examined the guards and ordered that they be led away to execution. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and was spending time there.

And then king Herod became livid again, because he had to go to Tyre and Sidon due to civil unrest there.  Although the people only wanted peace, because they relied on imported grain from Galilee.

King Herod's anger was quickly taken care of...

(Acts 12:20-23) Now he was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; and with one accord they came to him, and having won over Blastus the king’s chamberlain, they were asking for peace, because their country was fed by the king’s country. 21 On an appointed day Herod, having put on his royal apparel, took his seat on the rostrum and began delivering an address to them. 22 The people kept crying out, “The voice of a god and not of a man!” 23 And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died.

From this we see:
- an angel caused king Herod to die, maybe by appearing as a man who took a sword to him, which badly wounded king Herod causing infection and death (Acts 12:23)

Personal experience:  well, from the event above, it seems like justice was quick.  But maybe there had been people praying for this king's death over many, many years.  We don't know.

Sometimes God does remove evil quickly.  But sometimes there are people who do bad things and no matter how much you pray that they die or go away, they never do.

I've talked about my younger brother quite a bit while focusing on what the Bible says on this topic of spiritual warfare.  Don't get me wrong.  I've always loved my brother.  But the dysfunctional struggles and demonic battles felt like it would never end - even into adulthood, it was one thing after another - that I did pray for his death.  He came close quite a few times.  But he never died.  Why???  WHY???!!!

I have stopped asking "why" by now - because now I can see exactly why.  My brother was rescued from the occult's darkness and found salvation, and is maturing and growing in God's love.

And the rest of us have certainly learned a few huge lessons over those years - on how to depend on God for protection, and strength and wisdom and guidance and patience and peace and love and humility and forgiveness and grace...

Today's takeaway:  obviously that list goes on for quite a while!  But one of the main things that I have learned is that I'm no better than anyone else!  It doesn't matter "why".  It does matter "how" I obey and trust in God!  God is bigger than all of the world's problems put together!

As far as praying for someone's death - we should be praying for their salvation!  We have no idea what God has in mind for them.  Just consider apostle Paul!!!...

(Philippians 3:21)  Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you.

2 Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision; 3 for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh, 4 although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.

7 But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, 9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; 11 in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

12 Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you; 16 however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained.

17 Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. 18 For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things. 20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; 21 who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.