Brandon Neil Richards

Many years ago, I had a friend die in a tragic drowning accident. He was friend to many people. I heard the news from my own brother and I didn't want to believe it. I couldn't. My mind raced with scenarios and images of my friend somehow surviving. My faith was he was still alive somehow. I found myself trying to convince others to believe and have faith that he was somehow still alive.

The truth was, he really was dead. Those that were with my friend when he disappeared into the water knew the truth, they didn’t wonder or imagine crazy, fantastic scenarios because they saw it happen. He wasn’t trapped in an underwater cavern as I envisioned. He wasn’t superhuman and still alive- searching for a way out. He was really dead. He was held by underwater currents and had drowned. The divers who pulled him out of the depths of the water current saw firsthand the truth and even felt the strength of the current that took his life. The revelation of this truth to his friends and family was crushing, devastating. All I could do was weep and lash out at the devil for killing one of my friends.

In John 20:24-31, we have a glimpse of a man, Thomas, who was being told by his closest friends that Jesus ‘is alive!’ That the Jesus who was recently murdered, the Jesus he knew personally and had hung out with was alive again. The rumor was fantastic, but Thomas didn’t believe it.

Here’s how it happened, “So the other disciples kept telling him, We have seen the Lord! But he said to them, Unless I see in His hands the marks made by the nails and put my finger into the nail prints, and put my hand into His side, I will never believe [it].”

Eight days later…

“Eight days later His disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, though they were behind closed doors, and stood among them and said, Peace to you! Then He said to Thomas, Reach out your finger here, and see My hands; and put out your hand and place [it] in My side. Do not be faithless and incredulous, but [stop your unbelief and] believe! Thomas answered Him, My Lord and my God! Jesus said to him, Because you have seen Me, Thomas, do you now believe (trust, have faith)? Blessed and happy and to be envied are those who have never seen Me and yet have believed and adhered to and trusted and relied on Me.”

Recently I was having a conversation with a friend. I found myself telling him all the things God was doing around and in me. He told me he is encouraged and likes to hear that God is moving in someone’s life because it gives Him hope and encourages Him that God will do the same for Him. Our conversation changed to those who really know the Lord and those who know of Him. Those who know Him- hang out with Him and experience Him start talking like Him, sounding like Him, thinking like Him, acting like Him. Those who know about Him only know what someone else says about Him. Their faith is based upon the relationship others have or the rumors of Him they hear.

It really is true, let me give you some examples:

Most people have heard about Jesus healing the sick from the Bible, some have heard about Jesus healing people even today. They know Christ heals people. You can ask anyone, Do you believe God can heal the sick? Most will say yes he can and its based upon something that happened to someone else or something they’ve read about in the Bible. The story, the rumor is that Jesus can heal the sick.

Most people have heard that Jesus died for their sins on the cross and that they can be saved from hell because of it. You can ask anyone if Jesus can save them from hell? Most will say they believe God can save them because they have heard the stories, seen the movies, and they know someone else who is different now because of their faith. The story, the rumor is that Jesus can save you from eternal damnation.

Most people have heard about Jesus feeding the multitudes, they’ve heard about supernatural provision and blessing upon someone they know. You can ask anyone, Do you believe that God can supernaturally provide for you and bless you. Most will say yes because they’ve heard the stories, they’ve read the book, they’ve given their ‘seed’, and they know someone who has been blessed and ‘survived’ somehow.

Now ask the very same people if God will do those things for them, right now and their hesitation, response, the incredulous look in their eyes will tell you what you need to know.

The truth is that most don’t get healed, most don’t get saved, most live defeated lives because they know Jesus does these things, but what they don’t realize He IS all these things. Jesus is Healing. Jesus is Provision. Jesus is Savior. That’s who He is, not what He does. What He does is tell the Father at your request through prayer, who He is, and the Father sees us for who we are, His son. I mean we’re the body of Christ! We even have His blood, we have His power, we have His name, we have His authority! We are sons of the living God!

Is your perception, “God will do it for someone else, but He may or may not do it for me?” When was the last time you stood and spoke to the living Jesus? When was the last time you held his hand and felt the flesh that was torn by the weight of your sin upon Him? When was the last time you reached into His side and felt the heart that was pierced for you?

Like my friend who was held underneath the water by the strong current and drown. Are you finding yourself overwhelmed, drowning by the trials and circumstances of life? Are you being held, constrained in your relationship, your life because you’ve only believed in the rumors of God and never really known Him? How is it that you really know Him?

God desires us to know Him in a new way everyday. He’s a deep guy and you could spend the ages trying to learn everything about Him and who He is.

Our faith is not meant to be a six degrees of faith in Jesus Christ phenomenon, but a real relationship with Him. One of the ways we get to know Jesus is through prayer. Next time you’re alone ask yourself: Jesus, is what I believe about you based upon rumors?, Is it based upon only what I’ve heard about you? Do I believe you ARE vs you will? Do I believe things that aren’t true about you? Do I really know you? Just ask for a revelation of Him, so that you can know for yourself who He is. And if you would, why not tell Him you want to know Him more, and hang out with Him more, then begin to do it by praying, sitting quietly, reading His word and listening, just talk to Him throughout your day.

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The Apostle Simon Peter is one of the most famous Apostles. He has been illustrated in cartoons as the gatekeeper of Heaven and hailed by the Catholic Church as the first pope. As a favored Apostle by many, his popularity is most likely due to the 'before and after' illustration presented within the Bible. From impulsive restless behaviors to servant leader and spokesman of the Apostles, Preacher of Pentecost, pillar of the Church, and finally martyrdom; one can easily understand Simon Peter's life is presented by inspiration of the Holy Spirit as an example of God's active transforming work within a human life submitted and obedient to God (CCCI, 26).

I. PETER’S BACKGROUND
Peter, is also known as Simon ben Jonah, Simon BarJonah, Simon Peter, Cephas and Kepha, original name was Simon or Simeon before being called to be a disciple by Jesus. His life is primarily featured in the New Testament Gospels as a fisherman from the Galilean town of Capernaum, the brother of the disciple Andrew and son of Jonah [Matthew 16:17]. According to the gospels Mark, Luke, and John, it was Jesus who renamed Simon to Peter or Cephas in the original Aramaic language which means, “piece of rock, or pebble” (Vines, 302). According to tradition, Simon Peter lived until AD 64 when he was crucified upside down by Roman authorities under Nero who blamed Christians for the burning of Rome.

II. THE TWO KINDS OF ROCKS
The four gospels depict Peter as a person who had very little self control or restraint. It would appear that one of Peter’s struggles was with his tongue and sin nature. One of the most memorable is when he rebuked Jesus for declaring He must suffer and be crucified:
“Then Peter took Him aside to speak to Him privately and began to reprove and charge Him sharply, saying, God forbid, Lord! This must never happen to You!
But Jesus turned away from Peter and said to him, Get behind Me Satan! You are in My way [an offense and a hindrance and a snare to ME]; for you are minding what partakes not of the nature and quality of God, but of men”
[ Matthew 16:22-23]

Simon Peter probably did this because He saw Jesus as the Messiah King who would save and conquer the enemies of Israel. Interestingly in a few verses before Jesus commended him as Simon Bar-Jonah only to give him a new name, Peter:

“Then Jesus answered him, Blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied) are you, Simon Bar-Jonah. For flesh and blood [men], but My Father Who is in heaven.
And I tell you, you are Peter [Greek, Petros - a large piece of rock], and on this rock [Greek Petra - a huge rock like Gibraltar] I will build my church, and the gates of Hades (the powers of the infernal region) shall not overpower it [or be strong to its detriment or hold out against it].”
[Matthew 16:17]

Simon Bar-Jonah’s name meant ‘hearkening or listening” and Jesus said to him “flesh and blood” or the nature of man didn’t reveal that He was “the Christ, the Son of the Living God” but He was listening to His Father. Then Jesus names him ‘Rock’ which is important metaphorically because it represents a founding Christianity, the transforming work of God. The name can be understood in two manners:

A rough, un-fashioned piece of stone, which could represent man’s imperfect nature, unfertile or stony ground [Mark 4:5[.
A piece of rock which has its fitted place upon a greater, a building block which begins rough and is cut to fit into a building plan which represents a useful member of the body of Christ who is “fitly joined”[Ephesians 4:16, Romans 12:4-5].

Both views of Peter’s name are important to understand because it represents our sinful life as a rough, jagged, rock which has no depth and is “in the way” of God’s will and it also represents hope of the transforming work by the regenerative power of the Holy Spirit as a polished stone set in its place functioning as it should with the greater whole [1 Samuel 17:49, Matthew 16:17, Matthew 16:22-23].
Either way, one can understand there are two functions of a rock of a rock, one for building, one for tearing down [Matthew 21:44]. These views are also represented within the same passage as Peter is first commended by Jesus and called a rock which is part of a greater, then almost immediately called a stumbling block or a stone which causes someone else to fall (Vines, 302).

III. THE EXAMPLE OF CHANGE
Further, the importance of Peter’s name is, being that Simon (meaning listener) was commended for hearing God reveals a key to changing one’s character. Listening to God’s words, being in His presence and listening to His instruction will cause our flesh man’s nature to change and take up God’s nature [Psalm 85:8, Ecclesiastes 5:1, Malachi 2:2, Matthew 10:27, Matthew 13:15]. It is during this time of listening and understanding of God’s word that the Holy Spirit’s work is changing us. Paul states Jesus gave himself that:

“he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”
[Ephesians 5:26-27]

In the Old Testament story of David and Goliath, it isn’t by coincidence that David picked five smooth stones from the stream [1 Samuel 17:40]. The stones had been smoothed by flowing water in the stream, which is a type of the Holy Spirit’s work in “washing us” or eroding our rough edges. The more time we spend in His presence, in His word, in His will, the more we are transformed.

IV. HIS LIFE’S STRUGGLE
While Jesus was on the Earth almost every occasion Peter attempts with His words to say or do the right thing, he then fails. One can see this pattern when he boldly proclaimed Jesus the Son of the Living God and was commended only to be rebuked and called Satan for trying to deny God’s will in His death [Matthew 16]; and when he walked on the water, only to sink crying out for Jesus to rescue him [Matthew 14:24-31]; when he told Jesus he would never be offended of Him, and he denied Jesus three times [Matthew 26:33-34]; and when Peter used his sword to attack Jesus’ captors and in doing so cut off the right ear of a servant of the high priest only to have Jesus rebuke him again [John 18:10]. The Bible reveals to us what happens when we act upon our own impulses and imaginations or what we think rather than what God thinks or what His will is.

V. THE TRANSFORMATION
The turning point in Simon Peter’s life was when he was reunited with Jesus and repented and made right his relationship with the resurrected Jesus [John 21:15-17]. Meeting the resurrected Jesus is the first step to change which brings the regenerative power of the Holy Spirit into our lives.

The second step to change is revealed during Pentecost. The scene at Pentecost in the upper room had just drawn the attention of the whole city. As the people mocked and jeered all the disciples, the scene could have grown much worse if Peter stood and rebuked the crowds the way he had once been known to handle opposition, with an reaction based upon his emotions.

Thankfully, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit miraculously changed Simon Peter and gave him power to serve God, and over his body, emotions, and tongue. Simon Peter being full of the Holy Spirit, he stood and urged everyone to “hearken or listen” to the word of God from Joel. The difference is that Peter acted in God’s will which in doing so resulted to three thousand converts believing Jesus is the Son of God [Acts 2:14].

CONCLUSION
Simon Peter’s life, his testimony are all positive to the Kingdom of God in that any Christian can easily identify with his life, the events he took part in which are recorded throughout the New Testament. If studied from his introduction in the Gospels, one can clearly observe the awesome power of God to change someone who listens to God but doesn’t always understand; To a useful building block joined with the Cornerstone [Ephesians 2:20]—being fitly joined to the body of Christ, fulfilling God’s will [Ephesians 4:16] by leading thousands of people into the saving power of Christ [John 21:15-25].
Peter’s life was so mightily used by God that even today we’re inspired and instructed as believers today through his writings and canonized life.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Harrison House. “The Word Study Bible King James Version” Harrison House, Inc. 1990.
Lockman Foundation and Zondervan Corporation. “King James Version / Amplified Bible Parallel Edition.” Zondervan Publishing House. 1995.
Calvary Christian College & Institute. “Introduction to Bible Theology II - TH 302”.
Vine, W.E. “Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words.” World Bible Publishers. 1981.

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I was born November 1, 1973 in the Tri-Cities of East Tennessee into a Southern Baptist family. My family, although most of my life I've viewed as different, in reality considered normal in today's society. It was during this time, I recall my first encounter with the supernatural.

Sometime during second grade my father had just received custody of me and my brothers from the court and I was returned to my father’s house where I began attending small rural elementary second grade. It was in the fall and I remember missing my friends from my other school deeply. There was a fall festival with lots of games for parents and kids. During this fall festival there was a room for a mystic fortune teller. I entered the room now a darkened chamber. She invited me to sit in a chair in front of her. I was a bit scared and intrigued at the same time, and the lady began telling me things about my life. She told me that I liked a girl named Michelle who had blond hair. I’d recently given her a token of my love and it was something that she coveted. I remember being astonished and stunned, and my heart raced as she began to flip over these large cards and say speak things to me that were to come. I was so amazed that she knew all of that stuff about me. I left the room excited and fearful, but soon forgot about it amongst all the other games that evening.

It wasn’t long until I found a book with a picture very similar to what I had seen in the fortune teller’s room. It was entitled, “Zork” and to my astonishment was a kind of book that you could choose your own outcomes and paths through the story as you read it. These books were made available to purchase through the book clubs and weekly readers the elementary school handed out to all the students. I began to read these books and I really liked the feeling of being able to choose my own path.

I can’t really tell you when or how long but some time between second grade and age twelve I began re-attending our small Baptist community church with my grandmother. I can still remember the feel of her hand on my back as I would lie my head upon her lap and listen to Reverend Tydings speak. He was speaking about God and reading from the Bible. It seemed like grown up stuff to me and I couldn’t really understand what he was saying, but I knew what he was saying had to be important because everyone was quiet and listening. One day, near the end of his speaking, his words seemed to reach out and grab me on the inside. I didn’t know what he was talking about. I just knew what he was talking about, I needed it. He beckoned, pleaded for people to come forward and repent. Not many did. I was looking around and didn’t see anyone else. I noticed him looking over the congregation as if trying to find something he had lost. His eyes passed over me, stopped, and began to move again. I was pierced, shaking, and terrified. I didn’t go forward.

Several Sundays passed much like this one where the words of Reverend Tydings gripped my heart as hard as the grip I had on the pew I was sitting in. I walked out one Sunday, knowing I was supposed to go up front.

That evening to my surprise there was commotion in my house about something my sister had just done. Everyone seemed to be glad and cheerful. When I asked what happened she told me she was “saved.” I remember asking what that means and she told me. I knew then that was what Reverend Tydings had been asking people to do at church. My vulnerability was revealed to me and my emptiness yearned for this Jesus. The details are so distant now that I can only remember my dad handing me the telephone after calling up the Reverend Tydings. I answered, “Hello?” and I heard the all to familiar voice on the other end. This time there was joy in his voice. He asked me few questions and I remember agreeing with each. Then I repeated a prayer with him over the telephone, all the while tears flowed. I hung up the phone and my sister came and gave me a hug. I felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my skinny frame. A feeling I had never felt before on the inside. I was happy.

Years passed by and although I attended church often, participated in the youth group, and even evangelized with the church’s muppet and music group. I never read my bible for more than was required or asked during church, I never prayed. That feeling I had when I was twelve had long since dulled and the old vulnerable, empty, and hurt was again part of my life. The only thing I did consistently was to read the fantasy books I had developed a habit of reading. I’d often pass through book stores looking for the Tarzan books my brother David had often read. One day while doing so I came across a big white covered book with the title “Dragonlance.” The cover looked much like my brother’s books so I thought I’d give it a try and buy it.

I began reading this book as soon as I got home. I couldn’t put it down. I was drawn into this fantasy world and became acquainted with and identified with its characters, their unique strengths and weaknesses, their magic.

By my freshman year of high school, I had read volumes of the books. I consumed them almost every chance I got. It was during this time that I began failing in school, most likely due to all of my time reading these books rather than studying.

My father began putting pressure on me to bring my grades up and do well in school. Often arguments would erupt from letters from teachers or a grade report. I would go back to my books to escape the anger that would rise up inside me when this happened.

One night, something happened. I had a dream of the book I had been reading. I was reading it in my sleep. I remember waking the next day to begin reading that same book only to find in my amazement where I had bookmarked the day before; I had already read within my dream.

I skipped ahead and began reading again. One of the characters was a mage and I didn’t think much of it until now but I considered, “What if dragons and magic were real?” I remember thinking that it could be real and have vanished like the stories I had read about in the bible. It just wasn’t around today. Honestly, I had never really considered the stories of the bible as being ‘fact’ nor did at this age did it dawn on me that they were.

In the book store I would always pass by a section that had books on magical practices and spirituality, so I stopped and found a few and bought them. They seemed very different and I thought it was foolish that anyone would believe them. Yet, I thought to myself… what if. It wasn’t long after reading through them that I found spells much like the ones I had read in my Dragonlance books.

Dreams continued to come to me, some were repetitive like the book ones, others full of lust, and then there were the dark ones. I had a re-occurring dream of me standing in my bedroom, over my body that was lying on the carpet in a massive pool of blood. I had slit my wrist and while I stood looking at my body, my family members would walk into my room as if viewing a body at a funeral.  I could hear them say, “I’m glad he’s gone”, “I hated him”. I never told anyone about these dreams though they stuck with me while I was awake.

Then it happened, I had just received my mid-term grade report and it was littered with F’s and D’s. My dad was furious, and I was feeling hopeless. One Wednesday night, my brother David came into my room to find me reading one of my books. “Want come to church with me tonight?” I looked up to let him know that I couldn’t, even if I wanted to, I had to make myself study. He turned to go and out of desperation , I said, “...Could you ask them to pray for me? Dad and I aren’t getting along.” Then, unlike my brother, he stopped, turned and said, “Well why don’t I pray with you now?” I can’t describe the feeling that rose up in me but it was a sickening feeling and I responded in disagreement. He asked why, and I told him how unworthy I felt to pray with him. He then left the room and returned a few moments later with his bible. He opened it and began reading from Luke 11:11.

All I can tell you next is what I can recall. When my brother spoke the scripture to me, I became almost dumbfounded. Like a sudden lethargy came upon me. Everything was in a haze like state. My brother’s voice became muffled and I remember him looking at me and asking if I’m alright. I responded with, no. Then he reached for me and all of the sudden my ears were filled with what sounded like a thousand voices screaming in my ears with pitches low to a shrieking high. I was flung backward on my bed and shaken violently by an unseen force. On my throat I could feel what seemed like a hand with sharp claws squeezing my throat. I found myself not in control of my body and what seemed like spasms went through my body. My brother had disappeared out of my vision. I was crying and writhing on my bed and my brother appeared from my left, as he had been knocked to the ground. He came and draped himself over my body trying to hold me still. I could hear him saying, “Jesus” but I couldn’t respond. I remember my arms easily lifting him as to push him off of me and hear him say, “In Jesus name”. What seemed like hours and was probably more like a few minutes passed and I came back into control of my body and I was fear stricken and crying. My brother was in the same state. What had just happened to me was unexplainable to both of us at this point. I lost track of the time but that feeling came over me again and the violent shaking started. This happened throughout that night. My brother became my protector that night. As I lay upon my bed in my room, in the darkness beings began to materialize in front of me and spit and curse at me. The voices seemed all too familiar to me as they were the same voices I heard when I would dream. They were speaking hate and death to me.

I have to say there are exact details that are cloudy but because of this event, my brother intent on seeing this stop called an elder of a church he had visited recently. Ed Townshend explained briefly that it sounded like he was dealing with demons. A few days later my brother had arranged for me to meet with Ed Townshend at his home. When I arrived he and his wife welcomed us into their home. The seemed to glow with kindness and peace. After introductions and speaking about the past few days events, they explained to me out of the bible, what had happened to me, they explained salvation, showed me numerous examples of demonic attack, the Baptism in the Holy Spirit and how it empowers a believer to be minister’s of the Gospel and how to combat the power of the Satan.

I wanted to be free from this. I began praying with them and while they were praying, that feeling came upon me again, out of my mouth came words that weren’t my own in hissing and spitting sounds and they began speaking verses from the bible. Then the shaking began again, it was all suddenly and my words now are not enough to explain it properly. When the shaking subsided and I was back in control, they asked me to pray after them a prayer of repentance and denouncement of the things I had been involved in. I did pray with them, they then laid their hands on me and a flood of peace invaded me. I was filled with the Holy Spirit, I began to speak in a language which I couldn’t understand.

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