One of the most illustrious personalities in the entire Bible is Simon Bar-Jonah, commonly known today as Saint Peter the Apostle. One of Jesus' first disciples, Peter was a very colorful character--a rough and rugged fisherman bursting with energy and ready for action.

During his years under Jesus' personal leadership and teaching, Peter often pushed his way around like the proverbial bull in a china shop. By far the most outspoken of the twelve apostles, he did not hesitate to speak his mind or do whatever he thought should be done, with little thought of the consequences. Men of force are men of faults, and Peter's strong personality, self-confidence, and forceful opinions of how things should be done often resulted in him making serious blunders.

However, shortly after Jesus' resurrection, Peter underwent a dramatic change. This transformation is what our story is about. We begin at the closing hours of Jesus' ministry on Earth, at the last supper that He ate with His disciples on the eve of His crucifixion.

"Before the cock crows..."

Knowing that He would soon suffer torture and death for the sins of the world, Jesus looked upon His disciples and said, "You will all be offended and leave Me this night. For as it was foretold, 'I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered.'" (See Zechariah 13:7.)

Upon hearing this, Peter impulsively proclaimed, "Though all men desert You, yet I will not!"

Aware of what was to come, Jesus answered, "Before the cock crows, you will have denied Me three times."

By far the most outspoken of the twelve apostles, he did not hesitate to speak his mind or do whatever he thought should be done, with little thought of the consequences.

Peter was offended at such a prediction and even more adamantly insisted, "Though I should die with You, yet will I not deny You!" The other disciples quickly joined in, affirming with Peter that they, too, would stand by Jesus come what may.

But to Peter's horror, Jesus' prediction was soon fulfilled. That very night, as Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane praying with His disciples, a band of temple guards, sent by the chief priests and religious leaders, came with a large crowd carrying swords, clubs, and torches. They seized Jesus, who, knowing His time had come, peacefully went with them, alone. Jesus' disciples panicked at His arrest, quickly forgot their vows of loyalty, and fled for their lives into the night.

As Jesus was taken away to be tried by a religious court hastily assembled at the high priest's house, Peter followed and watched from a distance. In the courtyard outside the house, a woman noticed the distraught and nervous Peter and asked, "Aren't you one of that man's disciples?"

"No! I'm not!" Peter's reply was deliberately brusque.

Moments later, as Peter stood warming himself by the fire the night guards had built, a man who had been present when Jesus was captured pointed to Peter and questioned him loudly. "Didn't I see you in the Garden of Gethsemane with Him?"

"I swear I don't know the man!" Peter answered.

Soon others standing around joined in the accusation: "You are one of them! We can tell by your accent that you're from Galilee, just like Jesus. You must be one of His disciples!"

Fearing for his life, Peter became even more vehement. "I don't know what you're talking about! I don't even know this Jesus character!" he insisted.

Peter had barely finished his third denial when a rooster began to crow. At that moment, Jesus, who was being led by His captors through the courtyard to another building, turned and looked directly at Peter. Immediately Peter recalled Jesus' words, "Before the cock crows, you will have denied Me three times."

Overcome with remorse at what he'd done, Peter stumbled out of the courtyard and into the night. Finally he sank to the ground and wept bitterly.

The promise of power

The next morning Jesus was led off and crucified.

His disciples, fearing for their lives, went into hiding. But three days after His crucifixion, Jesus rose from the dead and reappeared to His disciples in their hiding place. Lovingly, He forgave Peter and the others for their fears and denials, and His words filled them with renewed strength and faith.

For forty days following His resurrection, Jesus continued to appear to His disciples, to encourage them and explain the mission before them. On the fortieth day, just before ascending into Heaven, He instructed them to return to Jerusalem and wait for "the promise of My Father" (Luke 24:49). The greatest transformation of their lives was about to happen.

Peter, transformed by the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit, led the disciples in one of the most spectacular evangelistic experiences of all time!

The apostles returned to Jerusalem and, with over 120 other followers and their wives and children, prayed and waited together, as Jesus had instructed. Their prayers were answered ten days later with a sudden and awesome manifestation of God's power. Saint Luke later wrote: Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them (Acts 2:2-4 NIV).

This was it! This was what they'd been waiting for--supernatural strength from the Lord to empower them to continue His work now that He had departed! Suddenly the fear, worry, and inability to act on their convictions was gone. Peter, transformed by the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit, led the disciples in one of the most spectacular evangelistic experiences of all time!

A miraculous change

The Jewish Feast of the Harvest, a major religious festival, was being celebrated in the streets of Jerusalem, and Jewish pilgrims from many nations had come for the annual event. Peter stepped into the street with the other disciples--having just been filled to overflowing with the Holy Spirit--and they all supernaturally began to speak fluently in the foreign languages of the multitudes visiting Jerusalem that day, each in a language they had never learned or spoken before! As news of the miracle spread through the city, multitudes quickly gathered. Boldly, the disciples proclaimed to the crowds the wonderful news of God's love and salvation through Jesus.

Peter climbed the steps of a nearby building, raised his hands, and shouted to the enormous crowd. A hush fell over them all. He spoke to them with such authority and conviction that 3,000 people not only believed in Jesus and received Him as their Savior, but committed themselves that very day to become disciples of Christ!

Here was a man who had acted in so cowardly a manner after the arrest of Jesus that he had denied Him three times. Now he stood before thousands, in the very city where Jesus had been arrested, tried, and executed less than two months earlier, boldly proclaiming God's message to all!

Peter had changed, just as the Lord had prayed he would. (See Luke 22:32.)

What caused this sudden transformation? The supernatural power and might of the Holy Spirit!