“Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know the man.” And immediately the rooster crowed.” – Matthew 26:74
In the moment of crisis, Peter failed horribly. He was so afraid of being found out as a follower of Jesus that he called down God’s curse upon himself, lying to escape danger. Yet mere weeks later he would stare down the leaders of his nation, embrace beatings and imprisonments, and embark on a life of constant danger that would ultimately lead to his own death. What happened?
First, Jesus forgave his betrayal and restored him. When we fail Christ, there is always hope. In Christ we aren’t defined by failure, but by Christ in us. Christ stands ready to forgive and restore us to service even after the worst betrayal.
Second, Peter received the Holy Spirit. The presence of God’s Spirit living in him utterly changed Peter from a boastful coward to a humble giant who would lead the Jesus movement in its formative years. In his own strength, Peter was literally afraid of a servant girl. In the strength of the Holy Spirit, Peter was no longer held back by his fear.
If you’re a follower of Jesus Christ, that same Spirit of boldness and power lives within you! The Holy Spirit comes upon us the moment we commit our lives to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. We live in a fearful age in which we often define ourselves by what we can’t do. But since you have the same Spirit of God Peter had, you need to understand you’re actually defined by the presence of God within you, not by any limitations imposed by yourself or the world. You’re empowered to go far beyond your own capabilities. While fear may always gnaw at your heart, God’s Spirit enables you to break through that fear.
#FOLLOWJESUS
NOTE: While Pastor Brian is on sabbatical, we offer this devotional which was originally published on February 11, 2020.