Peter frankly told the people that they had murdered the Son of God. He told the people that while they did their worst, God did His best and raised His Son from the dead. Peter not only discovered that he couldn’t live the way he wanted to live but also that he couldn’t love the way he was supposed to love. Peter had come into new ownership. He was through with trying for him self. Now the Lord Jesus Christ, who was risen from the dead, was in business in Peter through the person of the Holy Spirit. This is why things began to happen. Peter, who had been a coward up to this point, now became dynamite in the hands of God. His preaching was so effective that literally thou sands of people began to get con verted through his ministry. Now the Word made sense; the old fears were gone. He was able to get hold of the situation and God filled his life, bringing untold blessing wher ever he went. Go through the Book of Acts and discover that Peter was never the game again. I don’t mean that Peter was perfect. Scripture is careful to point out that he did make mistakes and some bad ones. We all sin for we still have our old nature. God does say, however, that He will both forgive our sin and give us the pow er to overcome temptation. Now, you need to admit that the Christian life is a sheer impossibility without the power of God’s Holy Spirit. Christ died to save you from your sins and rose again to live in you, saving you from yourself. If you will recognize that, allowing Him the right to fill and flood your life with Himself, then “the sky’s the limit.” This is how the Christian life works. It is not you, but Christ risen from the dead mightily at work in you. Come to the point to which Peter came. Say, “Lord Jesus, if anything’s going to be done, You’ll have to do it in me. Take over and let’s go!” You can be assured that He will.
D. Stuart Briscoe, member of the Torchbearers Fellowship, Capernwray Hall, England, is fea tured this month in a series of five important mes ages on the Apostle Peter. Carefulanalogies are drawn to the life of the believer today with great spiritual help and insight.
AN UNGUARDED MOMENT In the historic French Canadian city of Quebec are the so-called “Plains of Abraham.” Here the English forces of General Wolfe won that important ter ritory from the French. Observing the steep ascent which the invading army had to climb up the face of those sheer, rocky cliffs, one is amazed that they ever accomplished such an impossible looking feat. In fact, it has been said that a handful of boys could have held off Wolfe’8 entire army, preventing them from gaining that dll-important victory. The simple reason why the French lost is because in over con fidence, the defenders had become care less and pleasure-loving. One night, while off guard, the enemy saw his opportunity. That was all it took. One unguarded moment and the battle was lost! Quebec fell when the defenders failed to keep watch. In a like manner, failure to keep on the alert spiritually is the reason why Christians lose the battle of life. 24
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