In the Acts of the Apostles it is related that Herod, the king, had killed James, one of Jesus' disciples, and taken Peter prisoner. It was planned that "after Easter" he should be brought before the people for trial. For greater security he was guarded by soldiers, bound with chains, and keepers were placed before the prison doors. Mortal belief had fettered him in every way it knew, "but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him."
The Bible tells us that "Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains. . . . 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." The outlook must have been dark and foreboding; it must have seemed as though armed guards and heavily barred doors made escape impossible, even if he succeeded in freeing his hands from the chains which manacled him.
It was then that the light of spiritual understanding of God's ever-presence flooded Peter's consciousness in such glory that he beheld an angel, an inspiration straight from God, and it was revealed to Peter by this messenger, and accepted in consciousness, that he was no longer in bondage to matter. He perceived that these fetters, which seemed to be so powerful, so mighty, and so binding, were nothing but material beliefs forged by mortal mind, linked by so-called material laws. The angel, or inspiration from God, came with power far greater than any material evidence, for he "raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly."
