Strong and Courageous #4. “Beyond human ability.”

Strong and Courageous #4. “Beyond human ability.”

All of us can recount times when we have been backward in coming forward with our faith. We may never have outright denied Jesus, but we may have remained silent when we should have spoken.

The apostle Peter knew what it was like to lose courage. Even though Jesus had warned him that Satan was going to test his faith as if “sifting wheat” (Luke 22:31-33), he infamously denied him three times. All strength would have drained from his system as he voiced that third denial. It was at that moment that Jesus turned and looked directly at him, and the rooster crowed. Ashamed, he broke down in bitter tears (Luke 22:60-62).

Just as Jesus knew that Peter would abandon him under pressure, he also knew that he would “turn again.” Though Peter had fallen, he was never forsaken; Jesus had interceded in prayer on his behalf and great things were ahead.

The man who had been promised the “keys to the Kingdom” (Matthew 16), was also told by Jesus to “strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:32). Peter was not the only one who swore that he was “ready to go both to prison and to death,” all of them did. They all needed to be restored.

Despite the opinion of some, sins and failures are nothing to glory in. In fact, they are that which nailed Christ to the cross. Speaking as if their sins “did some good by bringing them to God,” suggests that they were doing God a favour – May it never be!

Peter truly showed himself Strong and Courageous in his leadership of the church. He wrote in one of his letters that the true source of the strength and courage in service is beyond human ability:

“Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen” (1 Peter 4:11).

John Staiger