Spot the difference!

I do love Peter in the Bible.  He's such a character.  He is passionate, headstrong, jealous, and he messed up quite spectacularly too.
Despite all that he was mightily used by God even with all his flaws.   
We can learn so much from him so today I want to consider one thing about him.

On the day Jesus was crucified, he was sent to the High Priest.  Peter was following from a distance and ended up hanging about outside. He's met by a variety of people who recognise him and ask him "Aren't you one of the followers of Jesus?" Three times Peter denies that he is, and the cock crows just has Jesus had prophesied. 

Peter wasn't even really getting persecuted at that point, he was just linked with Jesus, but it was enough to scare him into basically swearing aggressively that he wasn't a follower of Jesus! Terrified of a servant girl (one of the people that challenged him) and what might happen to him if people knew that he was a follower of Jesus, he buckled, lied and did exactly what he said he would not do. 

Compare that to what happened in Acts Chapter 4.  A man is healed as Peter and John pray.  As news of this miracle spreads, the religious leaders have Peter and John arrested, and held overnight and in the morning they are called to stand before them and answer for what has happened. 
This time, instead of denying Jesus, Peter boldy explains the healing and preaches the name of Jesus!  This time he is actually suffering real persecution.  He has been arrested, imprisoned and threatened BUT instead of crumbling, he is empowered and confident in the face of his persecutors. 

What happened?   Well, Acts 2 happned! We read that Holy Spirit fell upon Peter and the others and filled him with a boldness that went beyond his natural personality and three things happened:

Acts 4:13 (KJV)Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

The first thing was, the religious people saw that this uneducated man was preaching with a confidence that was supernatural AND they noted or recognised that they had been with Jesus!  What was it that made them recognise the fact Peter had been with Jesus?  I believe it was the power, authority and boldness which Peter, an simple fisherman began to speak about the Kingdom of God. Remember Luke 4:32 - they marvelled at Jesus because he spoke as one with authority - that same power was now present in Peter and it showed!

Secondly, even when they threatened him (Acts 4v21) Peter was unmoved and basically said 'I can't help but speak about what I've seen and heard'. He was so empowered that he couldn't help but tell people, no matter what threats were passed his way.

And finally, God got all the glory.  In the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter cut off someone's ear in a passionate attempt to defend Jesus or fight this battle. Even if such a thing would have made a difference, it would all have been from the flesh.  They might have said Peter was courageous, but it would have all been about him.  When he preached Jesus and him crucified, when he demonstrated the healing power of God, and when he refused to be intimidate by the religious leaders of the day, God got all the glory!

Today I want to encourage you, the thing that makes the difference in your life as a follower of Jesus is the power of the Holy Spirit working through you! You cannot be like Jesus through self effort, skill or will power.  Of ourselves we can do nothing.  So allow that power to flow through you and you will see healings, miracles, provision, supernatural restoration, boldness, faith rising up and so much more in your own life and you will be effective at ministering the Gospel message (with the demonstrations of God's power) to others, in boldness and confidence, giving all the glory to Jesus!