Book Nook: The Missing Link - Your Journey with Peter from Self Power to Holy Spirit Power

For those of us who believe in Jesus Christ, we often still find it difficult to reach a deep connection with Him because we can’t actually “see” him. Sam Hunter, author, teacher and host of 721 Live, the radio arm of 721 Ministries in Greenville, SC, shares his views on crucial issues facing Christians today in his new book, The Missing Link.
It is evident that many Christians have become comfortable with the status quo of their faith. They go to church. Lead good lives. Do good deeds. All the while, they read about the intangible concept of the Holy Spirit. They listen in church as the pastor speaks of the miracles throughout Acts. Jesus and Paul and Peter talk about a new power, but what could this power actually look like in day-to-day life?
Told entirely from Peter’s perspective, The Missing Link is a conversational, thought-provoking read that invites us to share Peter’s journey following Jesus' return to Heaven, as he is transformed from Self-centered into being truly filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. Readers will see the Holy Spirit in a whole new light and learn to appropriate and live with this new power Jesus promised.
I had a chance to interview the author to learn more.

Why did you write this book?
I felt compelled to write this book for three reasons:
1. What the scriptures say about the power of the HS.
Jesus told his disciples they would be better off with the HS than with him. That is an astounding statement in itself. (John 14:12 John 16:7)
He also told them, “You will receive power when the HS comes on you …”
And in 2 Corinthians 10 Paul talks about “a divine power to demolish strongholds.”
2. What I see around me. In short, I see no one, or certainly very few, living with anything like this kind of power.
3. My own experience.
I was born again in 1995 but it was years before I even began to understand the Holy Spirit – who He is and what He is all about.
We started 721 in 2004 and by 2007 I was burning out –and we had nowhere near the amount of activity we have these days. Around 2011 I started to really lean into the HS and study and understand how to appropriate Him into my day to day life.
In the details of my day to day life. Now I am living with so much energy and positive power – and our weekly schedule is four times what it was in 2007.

Why focus on Peter?
Peter is very much an “every man or woman” in that he represents us all. He is well meaning, but impetuous, he speaks before he thinks, he is logical at times but at other times he is driven by emotions. He is loyal to Jesus yet when backed into a corner he is loyal first to himself.
His struggle with Self is all our principle struggle. We want our way. We may think it is the best way for everyone involved, but we still want our way.

What are some lessons Christians can learn from this particular disciple?
Peter is trying to figure out how to live after Jesus has left and returned to Heaven.
He has been relying on Jesus for the past three years, as well as his own power.
We too have to learn what living with this Holy Spirit, and his power looks like in our day to day lives.
So in The Missing Link we watch as Peter – and the other disciples – grow to understand how the Holy Spirit can guide them, but they first have to learn how to wait on the Spirit. Peter does not like to wait and neither do we.
But if we are going to live with and within the power of the Holy Spirit we will have to learn to let the Holy Spirit go out ahead of us.
In the book Chapter 5 is called “The Weight of Wait” for this reason.
In Chapter 36 at the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15) we learn that leadership looks like: “Listen, Learn and then Lead.”
Ion business and in relationships, we fist listen to learn what all the issues are before we step in to lead.
In Chapter 37 we learn the difference between forgiveness and Forgiveness with Muscle.

Educated and trained as a structural design engineer, author Sam Hunter spent 20 years in real estate and construction. Jesus turned the light on when Hunter was 38, and he was born again. He has been teaching and preaching about following Jesus for 20 years. He is the host of 721 Live, the radio arm of 721 Ministries and can be heard Fridays 11:00-11:30 on FM91.9 and FM92.9 Christian Talk Radio. He is also the author of The Putting Green Devotional Series for men and women and has produced two DVD curriculums: Contentment: The Path to Peace; and Fear: Do you React in Fear or Respond in Faith? His aim is to help men and women find and live “Life to the Full.” He resides in Greenville, SC.