Scripture
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3)
Observation
No New Testament leader realized more deeply his own screw-ups than the apostle Peter.
This is the same dude that stepped out of a boat to walk on water when Jesus called him (Matt. 14:27–30); the same Peter who identified Jesus as the Christ (Matt. 16:13–20); the same one who witnessed the transfiguration (Matt. 17:1–8).
Yet, this is the same Peter that would miserably fail his Lord, denying Him three times on the night of His arrest. Yet, in the face of incredible persecution and opposition, got up off the ground to do incredible things for Christ’s church.
How was Peter able to recover from such incredible hardship?
Application
Peter is now writing to Jewish Christians enduring intense persecution for their faith, encouraging them to persevere through their suffering by remembering that their reward awaits them. This is not the brash, impetuous, emotional Peter who traveled with Jesus during His earthly ministry. This is a Peter who has matured in his faith, a man who has learned from his failures—and who, most of all, has been filled with the Holy Spirit of God.
Effective leaders walk by the power of the Holy Spirit, that’s the application. They realize that all of us—even those with the best of intentions—are prone to fail when we walk in our own strength and not in the empowerment of the Spirit.
Prayer
Lord, I pray that I memorize the Fruit of the Spirit. See, if I want to learn to walk in the Spirit, I first need to know the fruit of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control…”
This is what I want in order for me to walk in the Spirit.
