Rom 8:13 (NIV) For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if BY the Spirit YOU put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. Jesus, teach me how to BY the Spirit...put to death the misdeeds of my body. Teach me that faith is the key to conquering my body. Show me that I have to believe that the power of the Holy Spirit is flowing through my mind, heart, and life. Show me that if I believe my efforts in bring my body under control are being empowered by the Holy Spirit, it will happen.

Jesus, help me see that You and I are working on taking action on the basis of this truth: If BY the Spirit YOU put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. Teach me that this is the place where my life moves from theory into real life. It is the place where my life moves from knowledge to faith. Show me that faith is all about action. If something is true, then I can build my life on it. Teach me that faith is based on something God has already done. Also teach me that things God is going to do are responded to in hope. Make it clear to me that faith has nothing to do with what is going to happen.

Jesus, help me believe that the power of the Holy Spirit is in me and I can now take power-action. I remember trying to do something spiritual and failed. Show me that I will be taking that same action; but, this time it will succeed. Help me understand that when I do something with faith in my own efforts, I fail. But, when I do the SAME THING while believing that God is empowering me to do it, I succeed. Show me that my efforts won’t change; it will be where I put my faith that changes the results.

If BY the Spirit YOU put to death the misdeeds of the body: Jesus, teach me that what I am attempting to do here is to deal with a temptation from the satanic realm. Whether it is from my body, the world, or the devil, I will take faith-action against it. I believe the Holy Spirit is empowering my actions. Help me remember that Peter denied You three times because he couldn’t stand up to social pressure. Show me how Peter later yielded in faith to the power of the Holy Spirit and succeeded.

Jesus, help me see that the Holy Spirit empowered Peter and the other 120 people in Acts 2:1-12; and, when He did, He caused a loud sound like wind blowing. Help me remember that this caused a great crowd of people to come and see what was making the noise. When the crowd got there, Peter and the others were speaking in various languages of the people in the crowd. Help me remember that this caused the people in the crowd to start trying to guess how Peter and his friends were speaking in their native tongues.

Acts 2:13-17 (NIV) Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.” Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: ‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on ALL people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.’”

Jesus, help me understand that this is the same Peter that couldn’t standup to a few accusers just a short time before. What has happened to him?

1. You taught Peter for three years how to live the Christian life.
2. After that the Holy Spirit empowered Peter to handle social pressure.
3. Then Peter believed he could yield to that power.
4. Peter then took faith-action with that power by getting up and addressing the crowd.
5. In response, the Holy Spirit flowed through that faith and action and empowered Peter to present the good news to the crowd.

Jesus, what did Peter resist when he stood up and addressed the crowd? Help me see that he resisted fear, doubt, and weakness. Even though he felt the same way he felt when he denied knowing You, he got up and started speaking. Make it clear to me that I may not feel all that strong. I may have the same doubts and fears I have had before. I have tried this before and failed. But, teach me that as I move forward in faith, the Holy Spirit will empower me to do what I couldn’t do before.

Jesus, help me see that when Peter faced the temptation to cave in to the pressure of the crowd during Your trial and crucifixion, he had already been trained on how to resist the desires of the body, the pressures of the world, and the temptations of the devil. Show me that he just didn’t have the power of the Holy Spirit operating in his life. Now, even though the crowd is making fun of them, Peter isn’t intimidated by it. However, show me that one element is missing. This crowd isn’t threatening to do physical harm to Peter. Maybe the social pressure isn’t as great as it was during Your trial. Show me a situation where physical harm and death ARE an issue.

Acts 5:28-33 (NIV) “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.”

Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than men! The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead--Whom YOU had killed by hanging Him on a tree. God exalted Him to His own right hand as Prince and Savior that He might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.

We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, Whom God has given to those who obey Him.” When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death.

Jesus, help me realize that they were wanting to kill Peter and he was still standing up for the truth about Jesus. How was he doing this? Show me that he was yielding to the power of the Holy Spirit to do what he couldn’t do before. Teach me that he couldn’t do this on his own. And, the Holy Spirit wouldn’t do it without Peter’s decisions and actions. But, help me see that with both of them working together, Peter lived a faith filled life for God.

If BY the Spirit YOU put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. Show me that this is what is going to be happening to me.