Moses and Peter: Ordinary Men Who Broke Through
Moses and Peter both were ordinary men who, after being confronted with the most devastating and debilitating of actions, pushed through and walked in their destiny. They believed for a time that they were unworthy and unable to be anymore than a nobody.
| Moses | Peter | |
| Background: | Born into a rich heritage within his Jewish faith (Levite) and raised in Pharaoh’s home, learning kingly ways to act. | A disciple of Christ, who with Jesus at his side said he would never deny Him. |
| What they did: | He killed a man. | He denied Jesus three times. |
| Their response: | He hid. | He hid. |
| Their response: | Exodus, 3:11, But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” | Luke 22:62, And he went outside and wept bitterly.
(After denying Jesus three times) |
| What happened after they listed to God: | Led a nation. | Became the rock on which Christ built the church. |
Moses
After making a terrible mistake, Moses tried to hide from God and people; much how we often try to hide from God and others when we make a mistake. Moses could not hide, and we cannot hide either. God will meet with us to call us to our destiny. He is not holding our shortcomings against us, but He is looking at who we are to be.
Exodus 3:5, “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”
Moses, when thinking he was the most unworthy of unworthy, encountered God in a burning bush. The unworthiness he spoke over himself could not remove him from God’s presence. Moses stopped hiding from God, and began to partner with God to move forward in his destiny.
A Process of Laying down Resistance
Much how Moses had to go through a process, we too have to be on a process to walk towards, and in, our destiny. We build our foundations and faith one step at time. During this process, though, we all put up resistance when we are called to take another step towards our destiny.
We may put up resistance in the same way Moses did with God by:
1. Questioning our IDENTITY | Exodus 3:11
2. Questioning our AUTHORITY | Exodus 3:13 (Remember, God is with AND for us.)
3. Questioning our COMPETENCE | Exodus 4:11
4. Questioning our WILLINGNESS | Exodus 4:13 (God is looking for all of us.)
Throughout his conversation with God, Moses is attempting to deflect his destiny by saying “I am unworthy and unable.” Are we comfortable enough with our lives, and willing to settle for less, because we cannot break through our own unworthiness and inability?
Peter
Jesus knew Peter was going to mess up and that he would try to hide—“And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:32). Peter was told his destiny even before he committed his actions that would try to take him out. Peter may have thought he threw away that destiny when he denied knowing Jesus then “went outside, and wept bitterly” (Luke 22:62).
Peter forgot what was promised to him; something we are prone to do while in the desert of feeling unworthy and unable. In Acts 1:8 the Holy Spirit is released, hope is released. Peter claimed the hope that he could move from the Unable to being empowered. He accepted his leadership role because that was his destiny; and he was previously called and empowered by Jesus.
Peter and Moses—Breaking Through
Both Peter and Moses could have stayed in the Unworthy and Unable zones of their lives if they had chosen to cling to their past failures. However, they chose to move into their destinies because they believed what God said to them. God said to Moses that He would be present and empower him. Jesus said to Peter that he would be “the rock” and people would follow him. Peter and Moses, two ordinary men, became extraordinary leaders because they agreed with God’s vision for their lives. They moved from being unable to being willing—they said yes to becoming the leaders God intended them to be.
Leaders Respond and Leaders Serve
Leaders are responding to a higher call when they begin to move out of the zones of unworthy and unable. Leadership is given, not taken or grabbed. Leadership that is built by self-promotion can tend to self-destruct. Leadership that is built on multiple God-ordained foundation supports tends to last. Leadership that is endowed by God (Moses, David, Paul) is powerful and has eternal impact. And leaders serve. A question we should all continually ask ourselves, as leaders, is “am I influencing for my own benefit, or am I impacting the lives of others to empower them?”
Making an Impact
Leaders impact others by:
1. Being a Godly example in whatever environment they are in.
2. Serving others, and choosing to love well.
3. Remaining patient. (Remember David vs. Saul—Davis did not grab the leadership spoken over him. He remained patient)
4. Respect those who have authority over them
5. Honor others
6. Are available to God and man
7. Do not seek attention, and refrain from being boastful
8. Have the faith and vision to stay committed to their destiny
9. Create opportunities for others to grow, and don’t block the revealing of destinies in others
10. Knows their boundaries, and are willing to take risks when feeling prompted
11. Create an atmosphere of hope by looking “down the river” instead of looking at problems of the past
12. Acknowledge the existence of giants, but do not concentrate on them
Breaking Through
Moses and Peter were two men who lived thousands of years apart, but chose to trust in their destinies that God revealed to each of them. Their trust led them to become great leaders. They chose to walk into their destinies – not because they were worthy and able – BUT because God said He would be with them in their unworthiness and inability. The presence of God drew them in, and reminded them of truth. It was His Presence in Moses and Peter that empowered them to rise above their circumstances and failures to lead a nation and to lead a cultural change in new believers.
We each have a destiny as a child of God. As His children we are “now worthy” and “now able.” We are called to breakthrough into new places, and participate in his works. When we live in this place, we are led to transformation. Are you willing to break through the limits of Unworthy or Unable, and release the power of your own destiny so that the world can be changed through you? Your destiny is not just to be an extraordinary person, but to be an extraordinary leader!!
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