He screamed and he kept screaming until he could scream no more. Then he fell off a cliff into the abyss of broken souls. The force of his crash could have moved the earth. Fragments lay around him—the new and hideous replacements of his former self. Shame replaced love. Cowardice replaced faith. Fear drove out Hope to make room for the mocking predator. Worst of all, he saw his destiny plunge into a black hole of regret.
This is the day after Jesus died.
To survive, Peter became a robot. He went fishing. It’s what he was programmed to do. Peter went through the motions. Avoiding feeling, suppressing every emotion.
The difference between Peter and Judas Iscariot is razor-thin. The same fever of despair and regret raged in both of them. It drove Judas to suicide. Why didn’t Peter do what the other traitor did? It was because Jesus prayed for him.
Satan told Peter a lie. Peter not only believed that lie, he now embodied it. And, it is the same lie that Satan is telling America right now—the lie that all the good and important things are gone forever.
Whenever those who hate God and America try to enforce a change, they call it ‘THE NEW NORMAL.’ They sold us on ‘THE NEW NORMAL’ of abortion, same-sex marriage, and godless education. Their latest excuse for seizing control is the coronavirus. Something to remember: ‘the new normal’ is always nothing other than the old abnormal, it is just disguised.
Memories tortured Peter. He tried to fight it with all his might, it was impossible not to relive those days. Two mistakes haunted him the most. Thinking he could save Jesus, he swung it at the head of the high priest’s servant, Malchus, who, fortunately, had moved just in time, losing only an ear. But his greatest horror was his discovery that he was a coward. He denied Jesus three times. The rooster was still crowing in his spirit.
And, it is the same lie that Satan is telling America right now—the lie that all the good and important things are gone forever.
Peter is haunted by the day he met Jesus. He was minding his own business when Jesus interrupted his entire life. Fishing all night and caught nothing. His hands are red and sore. Every muscle ached. He had nothing to show for a brutal night out on the water.
Then the strange Teacher said, “Let your nets down again for a catch.” Peter half-heartedly did as he was asked, and the catch was so enormous it terrified him. He begged Jesus to keep His distance, “I am a sinful man!” Peter cried. Instead of leaving Jesus spoke the eternal words “follow me and I will make you a fisher of men.” That was Peter’s destiny. That became his identity and reason for living. It is his destiny.
But Peter is now convinced—after his failure and denial—it is too late. He believes his destiny is lost forever. You must get that or lose the impact I what I will say next.
It’s dawn on Resurrection Sunday. Peter couldn’t know that at that very moment, an angel was talking about him. Mark 16:7, “But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that (Jesus) is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He told to you.” The angel added the words “and Peter.” Why? Because God knew Peter would have disqualified himself if the invitation was “for disciples only.”
The angel added the words “and Peter.” Why? Because God knew Peter would have disqualified himself if the invitation was “for disciples only.”
Peter demanded: “Are you certain the angel said my name?!” “Yes, the words were, “Tell the disciples, and Peter.” At that moment, Peter rose from the dead. He knew he was not rejected. He knew the unmatched glory of a second chance.
Satan did all he could to destroy Peter. He knew this man would shake the gates of hell. The first shaking came on the Day of Pentecost. Wind and Fire transformed Peter.
The coward, who had denied his Lord three times is restored. Jesus appeared to Peter, giving him three new chances to affirm his love. Jesus even provided a charcoal fire. It was by a charcoal fire that Peter failed. Peter is utterly transformed. He is now a lion carrying a devastating witness. He roared, “This is that which was spoken by the Prophet Joel!”
He is now a lion carrying a devastating witness. He roared, “This is that which was spoken by the Prophet Joel!”
In the days after Jesus died, evil exerted a crushing blow on the entire city. All the Christians hid in their homes behind locked doors, and it’s like that today. Satan wishes to crush our hopes and dreams. Evil men would sell us the lie that we must adapt to a grim, cold, and dark lesser vision of America, the church, and our futures.
Those who are marked by God are unstoppable. When the doors reopen for America, God will fully restore our destiny.
But there is one miracle that remains to be explored. Cutting off Malchus’ ear haunted Peter. But there was more to it than just healing an ear. Because, my friend, that night Jesus healed more than an ear—knowing the future, Jesus knew Peter must not be sitting on death row on the day of Pentecost. Jesus prayed “permit even this” and reattached the ear, in order to protect Peter’s destiny.
He is also guarding yours.
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Mario Murillo Ministries.
Featured Image by chanwit whanset from Pixabay
