Powered By The Holy Ghost

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Due to the large amount of sermons and topics that appear on this site I feel it is necessary to post this disclaimer on all sermons posted. These sermons are original to the author and the leading of the Holy Spirit. While ideas and illustrations are often gleaned from many sources including those at Sermoncentral.com, any similarities and wording, including sermon titles, that may appear to be the same as any other sermon are purely coincidental. In instances where other minister’s wording is used, due recognition will be given. These sermons are not copyrighted and may be used or preached freely. May God richly bless you as you read these sermons. It is my sincere desire that all who read them may be enriched. All scriptures quoted in these sermons are copied and/or quoted from the Authorized King James Version of the Holy Bible.

Pastor James May

POWERED BY THE HOLY GHOST

The question has often arisen, “Does the Baptism in the Holy Ghost, with the evidence of speaking in other tongues, really make a difference in the life of a Christian?”

I want us to examine the life of one man in scripture that will give us just a glimpse of the difference that the Baptism makes in you life. That man was one of the original disciples named Peter.

Peter was known for having a number of character flaws and yet we know that through it all God delivered Peter and brought him to a place of power and exalted him among his fellowmen to become the Apostle to the Jews just as Paul was the Apostle to the Gentiles.

Peter was a naturally impulsive sort of fellow with a tendency to put his foot in his

mouth or to put himself between a rock and hard place. Let me show you what I mean.

1)On the wind driven waters of the sea, it was Peter who spoke up and asked Jesus to allow him to walk on the water to meet Jesus “. (He would have certainly drowned in his own sea of doubt had it not been for the merciful hand of the Lord reaching out and lifting him out of his troubles) (Matthew 14:28)

2)On the Mount of Transfiguration, it was Peter who spoke up without thinking it through and said that he wanted to build three tabernacles, one to Moses, one to Elijah and another to Jesus. (He would have fallen into idolatry and error had it not been for the audible voice of God the Father who instructed those present to listen to His Son only and no one else) (Matthew 17:4)

3)When the disciples were fishing on the Sea of Tiberius after the resurrection of Jesus, they had fished all night and caught nothing until Jesus told them to cast the net out of the right side of the ship and the nets were suddenly filled. When John recognized Jesus, it wasn’t him that jumped overboard and swam to shore, it was Peter. The ship was just a short distance from the shore but Peter couldn’t wait. ( I can’t say that I blame him – I would like to think that I would have done the same thing but none of the other disciples did.) (John 21:7)

Being impulsive doesn’t necessarily mean that you are committing sin or doing something that you shouldn’t do but it does tend to get you into tight spots from time to time.

Peter also had his know-it-all, bossy, controlling attitude from time to time and it often got him into trouble, even with Jesus. Let me give you a few examples:

1) When Jesus announced to the disciples that he would be going to Jerusalem to die and rise again, it was Peter that said, NO WAY, I will never let that happen. Jesus rebuked him and identified that the spirit of the devil had influenced Peter to attempt to stop the very thing that Jesus had come to earth to accomplish. (How would you like to have the very Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ say to you what He said to Peter, “get thee behind me Satan, for thou art an offense unto me…?”) (Matthew 16:22)

2) When Jesus began to wash the feet of the disciples, it was Peter who said, You are not going to wash my feet, no way! Jesus had to convince Peter that he would either have to get rid of that pride and arrogance and humble himself to the place of having his feet washed or he would have no part in God’s Kingdom. (At least Peter was quick to humble himself but I wonder if some of us would still have dirty feet!) (John 13:8,9)

3) In the Garden of Gethsemane, when the temple guards came to arrest Jesus, it was Peter who drew a sword and chopped off Malchus’ ear! Jesus had to rebuke Peter once again for fighting and attempted murder. I believe Peter meant to chop Malchus’ skull in two, not just cut off an ear. Talk about a vindictive and over-protective attitude, here’s a man who had them in a big way. (How many of us would be so quick to swing a sword that cuts into another person with that wagging tongue or maybe even a real sword if we could get one in a moment of rage and anger? None of us are above doing the same thing under the right circumstances.) (John 18:10)