When Thou Art Converted

In Lk 22:32 Jesus said to Peter, “When thou art converted…”.    Peter still had to change.  And this change was going to involve a sifting process.  There was something in him that had to go.  By reading the context Lk 22:24-34 we can see what “this” was.  The Lord had to get these things out of him:

Pride.  There was strife among them, Lk 22:24. Only by pride cometh contention, Prov 13:10.  He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife, Prov 28:25.  There is no room for pride with a man in the ministry. Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall, Prov 16:18.  Humble yourselves.  Phil 2:1-9. Let this mind be in you.  Jesus is the only one who has the exalted name above every name.  Peter’s pride turned into humility.  A proud man must be turned into a humble man.

Ambition. Their discussion was about who would be the greatest, Lk 22:24. Lordship, authority, others serving them.  Ambition is not about exalting Jesus Christ so that everyone knows he is the greatest, but about exalting yourself among others.  Paul wrote, “For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves are not wise”, 2 Cor 10:12.  Ambition has to be turned into zeal.  We are to be zealous of good works.  An ambitious man must be turned into a zealous man.

Impatience, Lk 22:29-30. Jesus aid, “I appoint unto you a kingdom”. But they had to wait until Jesus had his kingdom.  The devil always offers something now that God won’t give you until later.  He offered Eve to be as gods.  He offered Jesus the kingdoms now.  Prov 28:20 A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent.  With impatience you want now what you can only obtain with time.  A young man preparing for the ministry asked me, “How can you speed up the process”?  You can’t and the process generally involves a crushing blow.  An impatient man must be turned into a faithful man.  Moreover it is required in stewards… 1 Cor 4:2.

Hubris, Lk 22:31-33.  Peter’s attitude was I will never deny thee… prison and death. Hubris is over-confidence and arrogance that leads to a person’s downfall.  Peter was certainly willing.  But he didn’t know himself well enough to know that there was a circumstance in which he would do the unthinkable and deny Christ.  God set him up with the sword and let the devil sift him.  This process will destroy some men.  They quit.  They lose their confidence.  A man with hubris needs to turn from self confidence to God confidence.  Prov 14:26 In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence.  Prov 3:26 For the Lord shall be thy confidence.

Conclusion: When thou art converted strengthen thy brethren.  God turns you into a different man.  A humble, zealous, faithful man whose confidence is in the Lord, not in himself.

You see what the Popes have done with what was in Peter.  You see what preachers do with these faults in men when they make their BIG ministries.  The same thing is in you, but God has to get it out of you before he can use you the way he wants.