God's Glory Church

Changed personality

Do you ever feel like you need to start over? If so, you’re in good company. Peter had to do it.

Peter was one of the twelve disciples of Jesus, who was called by Jesus Himself to leave the life of a fisherman and join Him during His ministry on earth. On the night Jesus was betrayed, Peter followed Him to the mock trial. The people in that area were openly hostile and aggressive towards Jesus. Imagine what it’s like to be surrounded by people who treated Peter the same way they treated Jesus.

In the 26th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew and the 22nd chapter of Luke, we see that Peter preferred to behave discreetly. He wanted to remain unnoticed by the angry mob. However, it didn’t work for long: three different people recognized him as a follower of Jesus and told him about it. Each of the three times Peter denied ever knowing Jesus.

However, if we look further, we find that Peter does the exact opposite. In the 2nd chapter of Acts, Peter stands before a large crowd that may tear him to pieces. Instead of denying Jesus, he proclaims the secret of life: repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins and receive the Holy Spirit.

It’s risky. What will people think? What if they turn away from him just as they turned away from Jesus? And yet he was brave. He has changed from who he was earlier in this story.

How has Petol changed? He was restored by Jesus. He also received the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Between these passages of Scripture, two important events took place: Jesus met with Peter and restored him by grace. Second, the Holy Spirit descended from heaven on the followers of Jesus. With the Holy Spirit came power that enables believers to live bold, transformed lives (Acts 2).

Many of us face moments when the right response is to be bold for Jesus, and the easy way out is to hang our heads. What will people think? What will they do?

Here’s the great news: we’re not alone. We don’t have to be brave on our own. The Holy Spirit is with us every day. He gives us the strength to be brave and change. With His help we can be renewed daily.

You can start today. Courage is now. The Holy Spirit is ready to go with you.