Walking in the Power…
Matthew 26:31
31 – Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: “ ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ [fn3]
32 – But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”
33 – Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.”
34 – “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”
35 – But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.
Let's pray…
This evening, I would like to speak a message that I believe the Lord has placed upon my heart.
If you are taking notes the title of the message is “Walking in the Power…”
There are a few things that I would like to point out from this passage of scripture and then I will be done.
1. Desire – In verse 33 We see that Peter had a desire to serve God.
Peter said Lord even if all fall away on account of You I never will…
He said even if I have to die with You Lord, I will never disown you.
That sounds to me like Peter had a desire to serve God with all his heart.
I would like to ask this evening, how many here have a desire to serve God will all your heart?
How many say I want to be all the God has called me to be?
Are there any on fire men of God who desire to be all the God has called you to be? Are there any on fire Women of God who desire to be all that God has called you to be?
See many of us here have a desire to do different things for God. Whether it be serve God, Sing for God, live for God, use our talents for God, be a Man of God, or be a Woman of God.
If that is you can you say Amen?
I want to mention to us that if we have that desire that is a good thing, but the challenge for you and I is to go from a desire to reality.
See many of us here may have a desire to do different things for God.
Whether it be serve God, Sing for God, live for God, use our talents for God, be a Man of God, or be a Woman of God, but i think the challenge for you and I is to actually do what we have the desire to do.
The challenge is to carry out that desire.
That leads me to my next point.
2. Peter ended up denying Jesus Matthew 26:69 – 75
Peter had a desire to serve God with all his heart, but he ended up denying that he even knew Jesus.
69 Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. “You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said.
70 But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.
71 Then he went out to the gateway, where another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
72 He denied it again, with an oath: “I don’t know the man!”
73 After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.”
74 Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!” Immediately a rooster crowed.
75 Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.
He didn't only deny Jesus once, or twice, but he ended up denying Jesus 3 times.
We even see in Matthew 26:74 – He even begin to call down curses on himself to prove that he didn't know God.
Ok now let’s get this straight – this is the same Peter who told Jesus that he would never disown Him and that even if he had to die with Him, he would never disown Jesus.
Now we see him not only denying Jesus once, not only denying Jesus twice, but denying Him 3 times.
Now I think we could all agree that Peter didn't deny Jesus because he didn't have a desire to serve Him.
I don't think that he denied Jesus because he didn't want to have nothing to do with God.
I think deep down inside he had a desire to serve God – I think deep down inside he had a desire to do what God had called him to do but somehow, he just found himself not being able to pull it off.
Just like Peter that may be some of us who want to serve God, we want to be all who God has called us to be, and do all that God has called us to do but somehow, we just keep can’t seem to pull it off.
We want to serve God, we want to go forward, we want to be in the will of God, but we keep finding ourselves not being able to carry it out.
We get touched at the Altar – We get a breakthrough on Sunday – We are broken at the Altar – We tell God I give you my all – but somehow, we just can't keep moving forward.
Then we can end up finding ourselves in Peter's shoes – having the desire to do something for God but not being able to carry it out.
We want to do all that God has called us to do.
We have the desire to be all that God has called us to be, but we are not able to carry it out.
We want to sing for God, but don’t join the worship.
We want to testify for God but are too shy to grab the mic.
We want to be a leader for God, but we don’t step out.
We want to be radical for Jesus but just can’t seem to be consistent.
We want to join an area of ministry but are too shy.
We have all these desires, but somehow, we are not able to pull it off.
Peter was like that. He had the desire, but found himself falling short.
Now even though Peter had the desire to serve God and he ended up denying Jesus 3 times.
Something happened that turned his whole life around and I want to encourage us with that this evening…
Ok so what happened to Peter – well something powerful happened to Peter and let’s take a look at it.
Turn with me to Acts 2:1-4
1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.
2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.
3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.
4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues [fn1] as the Spirit enabled them.
3. Peter got filled with the Holy Spirit
The Bible says that they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues.
Peter got baptized in the Holy Ghost and the Bible says you shall receive Power when the Holy Spirit come upon you.
Peter got filled with the Holy Spirit and his life was drastically changed.
Somebody say Power!!!
The good thing about Peter is that he didn't quit when he made a mistake, he made it to the upper room.
I don't know who I am talking to this morning, but God sent me here to tell you don't quit. Get to the upper room.
Yea I know you've made mistakes
Yes I know you have been denying God with your actions
Yes I know you have that desire to be faithful to God but just can't seem to pull it off
Yea I know you want to go after and do all God has called you to do, but you just keep falling short
Yea I know you have the desire to get involved and help build that ministry, but you keep finding yourself struggling.
I just want to tell us “Get to the upper room…”
The Bible says you and I will receive Power when the Holy Ghost has come upon us.
[Act 1:8 NIV] 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Today what we need our Christians who are filled with the Power of the Holy Ghost.
Not filled with hype, not filled with entertainment, not filled with noise, but people who know how to tap into the Power of God.
Is there anybody here who wants to tap into God’s Power?
Is there anybody in the Church who wants to tap into that Holy Ghost Power?
Is there anybody in the home who wants to tap into that Power?
Are there any sold out Christians who want to walk in that Power?
Let me read an illustration about a float:
Quote – Float out of Gas
Steve Blankenship in “God Came Near” by Max Lucado
One New Year's Day, in the Tournament of Roses parade, a beautiful float suddenly sputtered and quit.
It was out of gas. The whole parade was held up until someone could get a can of gas. The funny thing is was this float represented the Standard Oil Company.
With its vast oil resources, its truck was out of gas.Often, Christians neglect their spiritual maintenance, and though they are “clothed with power” (Luke 24:49) find themselves out of gas.
Tell your neighbor to get to the upper room
Tell your neighbor, tap into the Power.
I know you might find yourself wanting to do right, wanting to serve God, wanting to make it through the home, wanting to get involved and be faithful, but somehow you keep struggling.
Get to the upper room!!!
Can somebody shout “Get to the upper room”
Slap somebody and say, ” Get to the upper room!!!”
Now the same Peter who denied Jesus and acted like he didn't know him, was a totally different person when he got filled with the Holy Spirit.
We see in Acts 2:14-16
14 – Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say.
15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning!
16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
He began to preach boldly and the Bible says in Acts 2:40-41
40 – With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.”
41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
The same Peter who was found denying Jesus, was now boldly proclaiming the Gospel message.
– He went from being Flaky to being on Fire
– He went from wishy washy to being Radical and Addicted
– He went from saying who is Jesus to preaching to thousands
– He went from denying Jesus to leading thousands to Jesus
Somebody say Power!!!
Today we may find ourself in Peter's shoes.
– Wanting to serve God,
– Wanting to be all that God has called you to be,
– Wanting to serve God faithfully in ministry,
– Wanting to pursue the call of God upon your life, but you keep falling short.
I encourage you to get to the upper room and let God fill you and baptize you with the Power of His Holy Spirit…
It is not how you start it is how you finish!!!-
– yea you may have made some mistakes and even find yourself far from God.
– yea you may have struggled in answering the call of God upon your life. We may find ourself being faithful then unfaithful
We may find ourself with the desire to pursue the mission that God has for us, but we just haven’t been able to pull it off.
Well, you are about to make it to the upper room.
You are about to tap into the Power that is available to you and I to do what God has called us to do…
Fan The Flame, J. Stowell, Moody, 1986, p. 32
The Greeks had a race in their Olympic games that was unique. The winner was not the runner who finished first. It was the runner who finished with his torch still lit. I want to run all the way with the flame of my torch still lit for Him.
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