(This is an excerpt from Pastor’s book, “How To Stand When Others Fall”)
The multitudes have left and Jesus turns and asks, “…Will ye also go away?” Then Simon Peter answered him and he said several things that will keep you standing when others are falling. These things will hold you in place when right seems wrong and wrong seems right. They will hold you in place and keep you standing when you do not understand the circumstances that are surrounding your life.
Jesus Is Lord
So the first principle is to make Jesus the total Lord of your life. Notice Simon Peter called Jesus “Lord” because the truth of it is, if Jesus is Lord no one else will be Lord in your life. If Jesus is Lord, no material possession, no achievement, or trophy will be your Lord. Who or what is Lord in your life? If you are born again, Jesus is Lord! That is what Christianity is all about. He is not one of many good teachers. He is not one of many saviors. He is not just another noble person. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life! Jesus is Lord! Making a bedrock decision about that will keep you standing when times are tough. There is no one that is Lord, but Jesus Christ, the Son of God. You can build all the mosques you want to build. You can build all the tabernacles you want to build. You can build all the shrines to whomever, but my friend, when it is all said and done, you will stand before the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords and you will acknowledge Him as Lord!
The second principle is stick with Jesus. When Peter says in verse 69, “Lord to whom shall we go?” he was saying that there was no one who could take the place of Jesus. Stay close to the master. Refuse to do anything that will separate you from Jesus. It is important that you be where Jesus wants you to be. We know there was a day when Peter did depart from Jesus. In Peter’s disappointment after the crucifixion he went back to fishing and others followed him. John 21:3 says “Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.” But after a night with no results they came towards the shore where Jesus was waiting for them. Jesus told them to cast their nets on the other side to find the fish. They did and immediately began to catch fish. One of those with Peter recognized it was Jesus that had spoken to them. We notice that this is the same situation Jesus delivered Peter from in the past. He had spent the night fishing but caught nothing. This illustrates to me that as long as you stick with Jesus you will not repeat past failures. If Peter had stuck with Jesus then it is possible that the other disciples would have also. They would have avoided that unproductive fishing trip.
The third thing that Peter said in John 6:68 was “to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.” In other words he was saying, “Lord, only You have the Word.” The Word will always play a part in your victory faith walk. Peter recognized that he needed the Word. Your answers are in the Word of God. Do whatever it takes to remember the Word of God. Underline it, put a red pencil on it, or a yellow marker, get a hold of God’s Word for yourself. Let God quicken His Word to your spirit. Hold on to it and do not let go. I thank God for the Word. It is a lamp unto my feet. It is a light unto my pathway. Take everything I have, but give me my Bible and I will stand in victory through it all. Others were falling, but Peter is telling us how to stand, “Lord…only you have the words of eternal life.” You make your stand on the Word of God.
The fourth thing Peter said was, “And we believe . . .” (John 6:69). He may have thought, “I do not know what those others believe, but speaking for those who are here, we believe in You. We are believers.” He went on to say that, “. . . we believe and are sure . . .” He is saying we should be fully assured, “. . . and we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.” One thing you must be sure of is that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Drive a stake in the ground of faith on that point and refuse to move!
You can meet people in any church who are constantly changing their doctrine or philosophy. They are not really sure about anything. They have not really settled on anything because unbelief always has a hard time finding the will of God. Being led by the flesh and not the spirit is a very dangerous pathway. We can say with confidence, “Lord, there is nowhere else to go, You have the Word. We will come through the difficulties of life because we are sticking with you.” Thank God for the Word of God.