Good morning, my brothers!  Peter didn’t just believe in the resurrection. He was changed by it. The question is… are we? Or are we still living like men who haven’t tapped into its power? Let’s go! A 4-minute 50-second read.

Or enjoy the audio version below:

Powerless Peter

We all know the story. Peter standing in the courtyard, warming his hands by a fire, while Jesus was being questioned…and beaten…inside.

A servant girl looked at him and said, “You were with Him.” And Peter said no.

The second time, he denied it faster. The third time, he shut it down completely. “I don’t even know the man.”

That’s Peter. Before the Resurrection. Before the Power.

Not the bold preacher. Not the leader of the early church. A man who, when the moment came and the pressure rose, chose fear and took the coward’s way out, over standing strong for Jesus.

But God…

Powerful Peter

Weeks later, Peter is standing before a huge crowd, speaking about Jesus as if nothing could stop him.

The same man who once denied Him in front of a small group is now boldly declaring Him. 3,000 men put their faith in Christ on that one day.

The same man who once feared being associated with Jesus is now willing to put his life on the line for Him. Cowardly Peter is gone, and Courageous Peter steps out.

And it wasn’t subtle. It wasn’t gradual. It was undeniable. It was immediate.

So what happened?

Resurrection Power

Jesus kept His promise.

The night He was betrayed, Jesus had told Peter and the other disciples that this moment was coming.

And then it happened. Promise made, Promise kept: Jesus sent His Spirit to live in the heart of all Christ-followers, just as He said.

The Advocate, the Guide, the Power - the Holy Spirit – came. 50 days after the resurrection and 10 days after the ascension.

Before the resurrection, Peter had believed in God, even in that courtyard on that terrible night. Without Christ by his side, he had no power or courage. The result speaks for itself.

But now, he had seen the resurrected Lord and was filled with God Himself, in the person of the Holy Spirit.

Finally surrendered, and powerful. Emboldened to proclaim the truth of what he knew and had witnessed. God’s vessel, ready to be used wherever, whenever, however.

Peter was now empowered to live the Resurrection Life 365 days a year.

Powerless Me

I don’t stand around fires denying Jesus out loud. But how often do I/do we do it quietly?

The conversation shifts toward faith, and we stay silent about Jesus. The opportunity to encourage someone to take the next step with the Lord, and we let it pass. The Spirit nudges us to step in, to speak up, to serve… and we hesitate.

Not because we don’t love Jesus. But because, in that moment, trying to rely on my own power, something begins to defeat me. Fear. Comfort. Approval. Acceptance.

And just like pre-Resurrection Peter, we often don’t stand boldly for Jesus. We don’t live the Resurrection Life 365 days per year.

This Is What Paul Was Talking About

When Paul writes, “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection” in Philippians 3:10, he’s not describing a concept.

He’s describing a way of life, the Resurrection Life. One that he wanted to live every day.

A life where the same Power that raised Jesus from the dead is not just something we believe in… but Someone we depend on. Daily.

Someone we experience in real moments. Daily.

In moments when we would normally stay silent, we stand up for Christ and Biblical truth boldly. Daily.

The Life We’re Invited Into

Living in the power of the Resurrection doesn’t mean that we suddenly become all-powerful, wise, and strong in and of ourselves. Not at all. It’s the exact opposite.

It means we stop relying on ourselves. We surrender. Allow the old man to die, and the new man to flourish.

It means we walk into the day aware that we are never alone. He is with us. When the moment comes, we don’t have to manufacture the right response.

We can depend on the Spirit of God within us. We just need to surrender ourselves and our will to His.

And when we do, our lives will never be the same.

NOTE: Click here for the MTM Daily Prayer of Surrender, from an article in 2025:

Living the Resurrection Life

It started at the cross → Continued with the empty tomb → Was released by the Ascension → Calls us to Biblical surrender → Is led by the Holy Spirit.

Like Jesus, we pray, “Not my will, but Yours be done. Holy Spirit, direct my steps and embolden me.”

The Real Difference

Peter didn’t become bold because he promised to do better, studied harder, or volunteered more.

He became bold because he was filled with Someone greater.

That’s the difference, guys. He surrendered his will to the Father’s and the leadership of the Holy Spirit.

And that’s what’s available to us.

A New Life 24/7

The resurrection didn’t just defeat death once and for all and give us victory, as unfathomable as those two truths are. It made a new way of living possible – The Resurrection Life.

A life where we don’t shrink back, stay silent, or miss the moment. We live empowered by Him. We look to see what God is doing around us, and we join Him in His work.

A life where we depend on the Spirit of God and are fully surrendered… and obey, immediately when He directs..

That’s the life in front of us today.

Not someday. Today.

We created this downloadable visual, Living The Resurrection Life, for you to print as your daily reminder. We don’t celebrate the Resurrection one day a year. We live it, every day of every year.

-WIll