“But
Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all
the other disciples said the same.’ – Matthew 26:35
The Apostle
Peter thought that he could do a spiritual thing through the strength of his
own will. If you notice, so did the
other disciples. When I re-read the passage I realized that most preachers
focus on Peter and ignore that eleven others felt the same way. You know how
that worked for him. It’s easy to sit in
judgement over Peter. Shaking our
knowing heads. No way Peter! Who do you
think you are? And yet, we are guilty of
the same thing. Trying to be Christians
… do the right thing … in the power of our flesh. Letting our emotions be a poor substitute for
the Spirit of God. Thinking that our own
plans are equal with the plans and will of God.
Essentially denying the sovereignty of God .. trying to be our own
god. What! No way you say. Yes way!
Everything we do .. everything we say .. what we think .. what we want
.. should be .. must be … in the context of whose we are and who God is. Look … our life after our rebirth is a
struggle. Our old nature wants to rule
and guide, but our new nature has another ruler and another guide. In all fairness to Peter, he had not received
the Holy Spirit so he lacked the power to be and do in a way that would
overcome.
“‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’
says the Lord of hosts.” – Zechariah 4:6
Read
this account in Acts of Peter being confronted after he received the Spirit of
God.
“The
next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem.
Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and
others of the high priest’s family. They had Peter and John brought before them
and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?” Then
Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people!
If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man
who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all
the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you
crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you
healed. Jesus is “‘the stone you
builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’” – Acts 4:5-11
Is that
the same guy that denied Jesus before people around a fire? Yes and no.
It was Peter, but the new Peter not the old one. Now Peter could have stood before those
religious leaders, even with the Spirit in him and responded with his
flesh. If he had, he would have failed
just like before. The first time, Peter
did not glorify God, he protected himself.
The second time, he did glorify God at the peril of prison or
worse. The difference was who he was
trusting in. It was not his emotion, it
was his devotion.
“Now this I know: The Lord gives victory to
his anointed. He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary with the victorious
power of his right hand. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we
trust in the name of the Lord our God. They are brought to their knees and
fall, but we rise up and stand firm.” – Psalm
20:6-8
That
can be you as you face life each day.
You will always be tested to trust in yourself and not God. To respond to a situation with emotion and
not devotion. If you are wondering where
the victory in Jesus is, in daily living. That may be the root of your
problem. You are trying to do what only
God can do through you. Examine your
heart. Draw close to God through the
Word and prayer. Pick up your cross
daily and follow Jesus.
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