As I was working on my studies last week, the Holy Spirit had me look into the disciple, Peter, who walked in the spirit, but also walked in the flesh.
We can grieve the Holy Spirit when we carry self-will, self-reliance, self-confidence, and self-effort that reject the power of Christ working in us. We should ask him to always break our hearts and bring us to the dust in which he made us. Peter experienced “self-“ in many ways. We do too by stepping out of the boat and not trusting God. We also try to stop Gods perfect plan, like Peter, by suggesting Jesus to not go to the cross. How many times has God given us a plan and we took another path? Peter wanted Jesus to remain on earth, even when Jesus told him he had to go.
Always remember “there is no good in our flesh,” according to Romans 7:28. Peter had to learn this, just like we all do.
Now, let’s look back at Peter, the outspoken disciple.
There were some good times as Peter grew relationally with Jesus in Matthew, Chapter 16.
“Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Matthew 16:16-17 Jesus told him the acknowledgment of Jesus as the Son of God flesh and blood did not reveal this to him.
Jesus said, “I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.”
Matthew 16:16, 18-19 NASB1995
Then he told him in the same chapter to “get behind me Satan” because he had to deny his life and take up his cross.
He denied Jesus three times in Matthew 27:69-74.
When did Peter deny himself and what were the first steps? When he wept bitterly. (Matthew 26:75)This is when he began to come to a turning point of repentance; God would use him to build his church.
In the book of Acts Peter went to the upper room to receive the infilling of the Holy Spirit and preached his first sermon. Peter was jailed, and an angel set him free. He also raised Tabitha from the dead!
The authority given to Peter is ours also! This is what we have to do in denying ourselves …become like Peter. And we will become the rock where the church of Christ will be built.
I had three sisters in the Lord give me words of wisdom. One told me I was a midwife and defined the definition and great detail of my task for the church, another said she was to protect me with intercessory prayer and covering, and I will write about the third, a young lady gave me words of wisdom about the anointing that is covering my life. She wrote it down for me with paragraphs of encouragement, but at the end was a warning: “if I look to the left, three vessels are going to steal that anointing …if I allow it. the Holy Spirit revealed to me one morning the vessels that can cause me to lose my anointing are:
-self (mind, will, emotions)
-flesh
-an uncircumcised heart that can become hard again.
How can I fight this? By staying in his word, praying, denying myself before the mighty hand of God!
I went to Ephesians 3:14 - 21 and received more word. I have to bow my knees to the father. This bowing shows humility and adoration. This bowing allows us to go before God, the Father, face-to-face through the blood of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit, and then he grants us the riches of his glory. He strengthens us with power from the Holy Spirit to the inner man. He dwells in our hearts, and we become rooted and grounded in his love.
My prayer: to the one in only God who is able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us is for him to be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever ever! Holy Spirit continue to send your word to me! Help me to be obedient and thank you for all the gifts in the church…seen and unseen through your servants! Amen!
How do we deny ourselves? By always, giving God the glory! When people come up to us and praise us, we should say, give God the glory because all I’m doing is going from glory to glory IN him (2 Corinthians 3:18)!
I think God for the anointing, but I also think God for the obedience of his children when they come up to us to share what he has given them, the boldness to share the good and the bad. May she and all women with this gift be blessed in the Lord, but may we all remain humble. Her message is for all involved in the ministry of reconciliation. Yes, that means YOU too!
“To one is given through the [Holy] Spirit [the power to speak] the message of wisdom, and to another [the power to express] the word of knowledge and understanding according to the same Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:8
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