Jesus transforms those that follow Him!
Welcome, dear readers, to our column “Daily word for spiritual strength”! I thank God for each of you and I pray, so that you remain thirsty for His word, thirsty for fellowship with Him because He is the source of life.
We continue to speculate on God´s desire to change us for our own benefit. As we stated, by letting God to change us according to His will and following Jesus people around will see a reflection of Heaven in our life and in our ministry.
Do you remember when the elders of synagogue, scribes and Sadducees met Jesus disciples after He was resurrected, they faced a supernatural courage in them.
«Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and had perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled. They recognized that they had been with Jesus.». (Acts 4:13).
What did the scribes and Sadducees conclude when they had perceived the unusual behaviour of the disciples? They recognised those men had been with Jesus! The disciples followed Jesus. When we look at the apostle Peter´s life, we should notice his birth name was Simon, not Peter. He became Peter after he began to follow Jesus.
«One of the two who heard John, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother, Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah!” (which is, being interpreted, Christ). He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him, and said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas” (which is by interpretation, Peter)». (John 1:40-42).
What was Peter´s true name? His true name was Simon that means a reed. Reed is a plant swayed by the wind. Applied to a human it shows us an unstable person, led by feelings and emotions. Reading about the life of Peter in the Bible, about the time he was called Simon you may notice what kind of person he used to be. Simon was emotional and testy person. He could leap for joy then suddenly become deeply oppressed. Simon was quite unstable with his character. It seemed he just proclaimed in the God´s Spirit saying “You are the Messiah” followed by what Jesus replied with “Get behind me, satan!” to Peter. Simon was tended to vary quite often, thus opening himself to the evil spirit of humanism (see Matthew 16:13-23).
Though, after Simon had dropped his nets and followed Jesus, something happened to him. Jesus immediately spoke to him: “Simon your name will be Peter, that means a rock.” After Simon had become Peter, Jesus let him understand He would completely change him. Jesus said to Peter: “just follow me and I will change you, follow me and I will make you!”
When scribes and elders of the synagogue saw Peter they marvelled saying: “He is an ordinary, uneducated fisherman, isn´t he?” They had no clue where Peter´s boldness and wisdom came from. But you definitely do, don´t you? Peter was changed by the Lord, Jesus Christ. He was changed by the Holy Spirit.
Why did he get changed? Because he followed Jesus. If you constantly follow Jesus, you will be made better and better, that other people will marvel how tremendously your life has been changed. Jesus changes only those who follow Him. Jesus will also change you if you decide to follow Him.
Be abundantly blessed in the Lord!
Rufus Adjiboje, pastor
