JESUS DENIED

TEXT: MARK 14:71 NKJV

[71] Then he began to curse and swear, “I do not know this Man of whom you speak!”

The devotional today is a story about Peter, one of Jesus’ disciples, who denied Jesus not once but three times. Peter was accused by a servant girl of being a follower of Jesus Christ, and he denied it to the point of cursing and swearing.

Jesus had already told Peter that he was going to deny Him, yet he still did. When Jesus told him that he would deny Him (Mark 14:29–31), Peter responded, “Even if I have to die with You, I will never deny You.” However, when reality set in, fear overcame him, and he denied Jesus.

The enemy brings trials and temptations in an attempt to make us deny Jesus. Similarly, the reason for Job’s persecution in the Bible was to cause him to deny God.
Satan is doing everything possible to make Christians deny Jesus Christ. However, God has already provided a way of escape through every trial and temptation.

Peter could not withstand the pressure at that time because he was relying on his own strength. The Holy Spirit had not yet come upon the disciples.
We must never trust in our own strength in any situation. Human strength will always fail, but when we trust in the Holy Spirit, He carries us through situations and circumstances that leave us amazed at what God can do through us.

The difference between Peter in Acts 2:14 and Peter in Mark 14:71 was the Holy Spirit. A Christian without the Holy Spirit is vulnerable to Satan. The Holy Spirit gives wisdom, courage, strength, and power. The Holy Spirit is like the engine of a believer.

The good news is that the Holy Spirit is always available to believers when we ask God.

We can never have enough of the Holy Spirit. We must keep asking God for a greater infilling of the Holy Spirit because He is our strength as believers.

There is someone reading this devotional today upon whom God will release the power of the Holy Spirit in an immeasurable measure, in Jesus’ name.

Declarations:

I receive the infilling of the Holy Spirit today in an immeasurable measure, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

 Light Up Christian Fellowship