Sermon Notes: "And the Chains Fell Off"
The Breaker Is Here and Your Breakthrough Is Coming
Breakthrough!
That’s our word for 2025 at Legacy Nashville.
We declared it last year, believing it would be the word for our eighth year as a church and for many people's 2025.
The first time I preached on it, I called the message “The Place of Breakthrough.”
This past Sunday, I picked it back up with a new message: “And the Chains Fell Off.”
I was so excited to preach this word because, while it was deeply expository, it felt like a strong preach!
The text? Acts 12—Peter’s prison break.
Breakthrough Defined
What do I mean by breakthrough?
Well, first and foremost, it’s a warfare term.
Merriam-Webster defines it as:
A forceful advance that breaks through and moves beyond an enemy’s defensive line.
An act or instance of breaking through an obstacle.
A sudden advance, especially in knowledge or technique.
A person’s first notable success.
In Hebrew, the word is “parats” (paw-rats’). It carries similar meaning:
To break through, break out, or bust out (like a woman’s water breaking).
To break down (like breaking a defense).
To break open, break into pieces, or break over.
To spread or expand.
A Biblical breakthrough isn’t just a nice thought—it’s a forceful advance! It’s God breaking through what’s held you back, tearing down what’s limited you, opening what’s been blocked, and breaking you out of places you were never meant to stay.
And that’s exactly what happens in Acts 12.
Peter’s Supernatural Prison Break
Peter is locked down under maximum security.
He’s deep in prison.
Chained to two soldiers.
Surrounded by 16 guards.
Behind an iron gate.
From a natural perspective? Zero chance of escape!
But then…
And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, ‘Get up quickly.’ And the chains fell off his hands.
Acts 12:7 ESV
The chains fell off. The doors opened. And Peter walked out of an impossible situation.
God is the Breaker
This isn’t a one time event. God is in the business of prison breaks!
Check the record:
Joseph. Thrown in prison but positioned for promotion.
Samson. Bound in chains, but his breakthrough came when he prayed.
Jeremiah. Locked up, but the Word of the Lord still came to him.
Paul and Silas. Shackled in prison, but their midnight praise caused an earthquake.
Jesus. Laid in a sealed tomb, but on the third day… He broke out!
Micah 2:13 says, “The Breaker has gone before them; they have broken (parats) through the gate.”
God isn’t just your Savior… He’s your Breaker!
He goes before you. He breaks through barriers. And He leads you into freedom.
How to Respond to the Breaker
When the angel came to break Peter out, Peter had a part to play…
1. Wake Up
The angel struck Peter on the side and said, “Get up!”
Breakthrough doesn’t come to people who are spiritually asleep!
Isaiah 52:1 declares, “Awake, awake, put on your strength, O Zion!”
Romans 13:11 says, “The hour has come for you to wake from sleep.”
And Ephesians 5:14 proclaims, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
God will shine the light in your prison, but if you keep hitting snooze, He might have to shake you awake!
2. Move Quickly
The angel told Peter, “Get up quickly.”
When God opens a door, don’t hesitate.
The Israelites were told to eat Passover in a hurry because they were about to be delivered. “Eat it in haste. It is the Lord’s Passover.” (Ex. 12:11)
When it’s time for deliverance… Go quickly!
Don’t wait to break up with that toxic relationship.
Don’t wait to confess that hidden sin.
Don’t wait to obey what God has already told you to do.
When God says move, move!
3. Obey Without Hesitation
The angel said, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” And Peter did so.
That’s the key!
If Peter had refused to obey step one, he wouldn’t have made it to step two.
Some of us are stuck because we’re waiting for a breakthrough while ignoring what God already told us to do!
Breakthrough follows obedience.
4. Follow Jesus All the Way Out
The angel told Peter, “Follow me.”
That’s the last step.
How you get free is how you stay free! You don’t just walk out of prison—you walk with Jesus into a new life.
When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.
John 10:4 ESV
Your freedom is not just about leaving something behind—it’s about following Jesus forward.
For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
Galatians 5:1 ESV
Your Breakthrough is Coming
Peter’s situation looked impossible.
But the Breaker went before him.
The same God who broke him out is the same God who will break you out.
Old mindsets? Broken.
Patterns of sin? Broken.
Generational strongholds? Broken.
Fear, discouragement, and doubt? Broken.
What has held you captive will not hold you another year!
Because 2025? It’s the Year of Breakthrough!
Let’s believe for it together!
Let’s Keep Going
If this message stirred you, do me a favor:
1. Subscribe so you don’t miss the next one.
2. Share this with someone who needs a breakthrough.
And as always, Paid Subscribers can download my full sermon notes below.
Love y’all.
— L
