Be Careful Not to Think too Highly of Yourself
You might do what you thought you would never do.
They did exactly what they told Jesus they would never do.
Before Jesus was crucified, He spent a few hours with His apostles.
Jesus told them what would happen, but Peter and the rest of the apostles refused to believe it.
Then Jesus said to them, "All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: 'I WILL STRIKE THE SHEPHERD, AND THE SHEEP OF THE FLOCK WILL BE SCATTERED.' But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee."
Peter answered and said to Him, "Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble." Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times."
Peter said to Him, "Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!" And so said all the disciples. (Matthew 26:31-35)
As it turns out, they all did exactly what Jesus warned them they would do.
When Jesus was arrested, “all the disciples forsook Him and fled” (Matthew 26:56).
Peter denied Jesus just as He had said.
Now Peter sat outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came to him, saying, "You also were with Jesus of Galilee." But he denied it before them all, saying, "I do not know what you are saying."
And when he had gone out to the gateway, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, "This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth." But again he denied with an oath, "I do not know the Man!"
And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, "Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you." Then he began to curse and swear, saying, "I do not know the Man!" Immediately a rooster crowed.
And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." So he went out and wept bitterly. (Matthew 26:69-75)
Peter and the rest of the apostles thought too highly of themselves - they believed themselves to be above doing what Jesus warned them about. They eventually realized that Jesus had been right, and they were wrong.
Rather than pridefully telling God that we won’t fall victim to the same temptations as others, we should humble ourselves.
Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. (James 4:7-10)
Notice that resisting the devil is connected to submitting to God and humbling ourselves before Him.
A person who pridefully thinks, “I would never do that!” is already well on their way to falling victim to the devil.
Thanks be to God that Jesus Christ died and rose for prideful, over-confident Peter. Jesus knew - and He still suffered for them.
Our Savior is indeed gracious and full of mercy (Ephesians 2:4), and we ought to humble ourselves before Him.