Going for the Pillars

Matthew 17:1 (KJV) And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,

Now, look at the below verse on how these three were viewed in the early church. Not only Paul thought so but the church at Galatia and all churches at the time.

Galatians 2:9 (KJV) And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.

These three were pillars of the early church. Pillars are the support of the building, platform, or multiple stories. Their condition and strength have everything to do with whether the building stands or not. If you wanted to conserve your weaponry in a a war you would not have to hit the building per say but hit precisely the pillars and the building will collapse.

Notice what happens in the following verses and watch the strategy of Satan at work.

IActs 12:1-3 (KJV)
¹ Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.
² And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.
³ And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.)
⁴ And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.

Satan orchestrates behind the scenes an attempt at collapsing the church. He does not go after just anybody but he precisely targets the pillars. He kills James and immediately goes after the next pillar. In these verses we see a

• plan (1,2)
• process to carry it out (3)
• purpose (4)

The purpose of Satan was to publically humiliate Peter and destroy him before the eyes of all the people.

In the natural, this looks inevitable. The plan so far has succeeded and the pillars are going to fall like dominoes. However, the church is not left without recourse, it has something in its arsenal that is more powerful than any plan, process, and purpose, that Satan has. Its called PRAYER!

Acts 12:5 (KJV) Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
⁶ And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.
⁷ And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.
⁸ And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.
⁹ And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.
¹⁰ When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him.
¹¹ And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.

As Herod readied to take him out and execute him, God sent an angel to break Peter out of jail. There is NO weapon, plan, or purpose, of the devil that is able to overcome the power of God in his response to intercessory prayer!! God will disappoint the appointments Satan has designed for you.