When Fear Overtakes Faith

The multitude that welcomed Him less than one week before joins those who seek to kill Him in Jerusalem’s swarming streets.

Some are confused. Others, angry. Many are scared. After all, powerful soldiers surround the King of Peace. Their intimidating presence tower over the unarmed Jews. And Joseph ben Caiaphas – the High Priest, the very leader who should embrace the long-awaited Messiah, leads the accusations against the Nazarene.

Those who followed Him throughout Galilee and Judea are baffled.

“I don’t understand. Why doesn’t He do something?”

“Didn’t He come to set us free?”

Amongst the crowd that witnessed the Sanhedrin’s trial of Jesus, we find Peter, cowardly hiding in the group. He follows the procession to Annas’ house, Caiaphas’ father-in-law, who held the position as High Priest before him, and then to Caiaphas’ courtyard, where the Sanhedrin meets before daybreak. The meeting is as unlawful as it is a farce. Nightly sessions of the Jewish highest court are prohibited. But they are in a hurry to sentence the One they have pronounced guilty long before this day.

Peter watches the scene from a distance. Mixing with the crowd, he is recognized as one of Jesus’ followers three different times.

And every time, he denies Christ.

When that third denial occurs, a fresh memory flashed through his mind.

 “Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had told him, “Before a rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.” Luke 22:60-62

Many sermons have been written about Peter’s denial and Jesus’ forgiveness after the resurrection. The apostle’s denial of Christ is indeed a sobering reminder of the fragility of our faith in face of hostility, trials, or unbearable pain.

It is as easy to judge Peter as it is to chastise ourselves when our faith fails. But the truth is – Peter witnessed the Lord’s seemingly defeat the same way we face our trials: by allowing the overwhelming circumstances to overshadow what he had seen in the past and heard from the Lord.

Peter witnessed the Lord’s seemingly defeat the same way we face our trials: he allowed the overwhelming circumstances to overshadow what he had seen in the past. #Mondaythoughts #MondayDevotionals #FaithFailures Share on X

Three times did Jesus tell them that He had to die and that He would rise again: Matthew 16:21, Matthew 17:22-23 and Matthew 20:17-19 (See also records of these same incidents written by other disciples in Mark 8:31-37 and Luke 9:22-25.)

And three times, Peter fixed his eyes on the terrors of the moment, instead of the miracles He had experienced for three years… and the promise that Jesus made that He would rise again.

Peter’s faith failure was no match for God’s perfect grace. For every denial, Jesus’ forgiveness, love and mercy covered Peter, foreseeing the day when he would finally and completely surrender to His Savior.

There’s so much to say about this beloved apostle. Born Shimon ben Yonah (Simon son of Jonah – John 21:15), Peter was the first man God used to bring multitudes to the saving knowledge of Christ at Pentecost. Long before his faltering faith and denial, Jesus called him “Petros” (Greek: rock or stone) – a declaration of his destiny.

Peter’s wavering faith when walking on water and fearful heart while denying the Savior made way to rock-solid faith after seeing the resurrected Christ.

Peter’s wavering faith when walking on water and fearful heart while denying the Savior made way to rock-solid faith after seeing the resurrected Christ.#Mondaythoughts #MondayDevotionals #FaithFailures Share on X

We stand in a much better viewpoint than Peter.

When we understand the disciples’ historical and spiritual background, we must conclude that, in essence, we are in a better position to trust God than they were in those days.

For starters, their belief in the resurrection before Christ followed the Jewish dogma: Jews only believe in the resurrection at the end of the times, when all God’s saints will live again. They did not understand (until they saw the resurrected Christ) that Jesus was telling them that He would be alive, literally three days after His death.

Not to mention that we, unlike the disciples at the time of the crucifixion, have the Holy Spirit, who is our Advocate, Guide, Comforter, and who reveals “all truth.” (John 14:15-21) When our faith waivers, the Holy Spirit reminds us of the many times God has come to our rescue. He is there to help us recall His promises. He is there to strengthen us to endure each trial with the same confidence that made Peter walk on water, as long as He fixed his eyes on the Savior.

Is your heart failing you today, my friend?

Has bad news overtaken you with trembling and fear?

Are the raging winds threatening you to get your eyes off the Savior?

Just as Peter did not let his weak moments of faith define his final destiny, I pray you will surrender your unbelief, fears, and weaknesses at the feet of the risen Savior, receive His grace and take hold of your destiny.

Just as Peter did not let his weak moments of faith define his final destiny, I pray you will surrender your unbelief, fears, and weaknesses at the feet of the risen Savior.#Mondaythoughts #MondayDevotionals #FaithFailures Share on X

Let the Holy Spirit – your Helper and Advocate – do His work in your heart. Let Him remind you of the countless times the Lord provided for you, healed your broken heart, and guided you through the storms.

Remember Peter. Don’t let a faith failure determine how you finish your journey.

God’s work in you has only just begun. He sees the person He has designed you to be: Weak on your own. Strong in Him.

Be still and know: God sees the person He has designed you to be. Weak on your own. Strong in Him. Share on X

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What are your current faith struggles and how can you find encouragement from Peter’s faith failures today? I would love to read your comments!