We are either progressing or regressing!

Peter was a highly visible disciple of Jesus. He was chosen by Christ Himself. Christ had big plans for him. God wanted to use His life. He saw potential in Peter that others didn't.

Tragically, Peter made a wrong choice. The day Christ was arrested, Peter denied Christ three times. he went away and was disillusioned. In Scripture, Peter is an example to modern day Christians who can backslide in their faith.

Backsliding is not just falling backward, but it is also failing to go forward spiritually. If we are not moving forward in Christ, then we are naturally going backward. In the Christian life, there is no standing still. We are either progressing or regressing.

Simon Peter is a man who backslid and fell away from following Christ. He is a reminder to us that any of us have the potential to fall.

Let's look at the steps that led to Peter's fall.

Self-confidence. Luke 22:33, tells us that Peter said, "Lord, I am ready to go with you, both to prison and to death. He was boasting in the wrong thing; his own strength. He was prideful and self-assured. We should not be confident in ourselves, but in God. We need to recognize we cannot live and have success in our walk with Christ without His strength.

Prayerlessness. Jesus asked the disciples to pray. Luke 22:40 But they fell asleep. We often do the same. We don't pray. We take matters into our own hands and come up with clever little plans and make a big mess out of things. We need to call upon the Lord. Don't neglect your quiet time and Bible study time. Feed yourself, don't wait for Sunday morning church sermon.

Following at a distance. Luke 22:54, we read that, "But Peter followed at a distance." He was following Jesus with a half-hearted commitment. Don't follow at a distance. Get close as you possibly can. You can never be too close to Jesus. Christians have forsaken church attendance and have dried up spiritually. They replaced worship with ball games and find themselves without spiritual strength.

Many Christians are pulled away by friends that are not into the things of God. Surround yourselves with godly friends who love the Lord.

Just like Peter, you have a choice when you fail. You can be destroyed and devastated and let the devil pile on the condemnation, and you can be history. Or you can get back to Jesus as quickly as possible.

Are you growing spiritually, or have you been in a state of regression? Remember, backsliding is not just going backward; it is a failure to go forward. Why not make a fresh commitment today to move forward. Why not make a fresh commitment today to move forward in your relationship with Jesus?

In the gospel of John, we see Jesus approaching Peter and restoring him to Himself and assigning him as a shepherd who feeds his flock with God's Word. Though Peter failed he was restored by Christ Himself. God is not a condemnation, but one of restoration.

Prayer: God, I pray for those who read this Bible study. I pray you will ignite a fire in their hearts. I pray for those who are following God from afar, please remove anything that keeps them from getting closer to God. I pray for forgiveness, healing and that we all return to you with all our hearts. AMEN!