Peter Reeves Leadership
Leadership Teaching · Peter Reeves

I NEED JESUS
TO NEED JESUShow to be needy where it's necessary

01 The Setup
Before We Start

We live in a culture where neediness is seen as unattractive and weak. If someone is needy, we assume they are incapable. We tell ourselves: don't be a pick-me.

We find comfort in self-sufficiency. "I don't need anyone." "I'm self-made." We wear independence like a badge of honor.

But here's what most people miss: what repels humans attracts heaven.

The needy Christian is the most effective Christian. Neediness will take you farther than confidence in the Kingdom of God.

02 The Text

Simon Peter asked, "Lord, where are you going?" Jesus answered, "You can't go with me now, but later on you will." Peter asked, "Lord, why can't I go with you now? I would die for you!" "Would you really die for me?" Jesus asked. "I tell you for certain before a rooster crows, you will say three times that you don't even know me."

John 13:36–38 · CEV

Why does Jesus allow Peter to walk into failure instead of preventing it — even when He knows it's coming?

Does God allow leaders into moments where He knows they could fail?
And if so — why?

!
Peter isn't a villain in this story. He's a leader who has overestimated his own ability — and hasn't yet realized how much he needs Jesus. That leader is in every room. That leader might be you.
03 The Problem with Peter
Understanding the Character

Peter is confident. Bold. Loud. But not yet formed.

It makes sense that Peter would overestimate his ability — because Peter is not accustomed to being needy. He's a business owner. His livelihood requires daily effort. If he doesn't produce, he doesn't eat.

Here's the danger for any leader: if you're not careful, you will allow other areas of your life to bleed into your relationship with God — instead of allowing your relationship with God to lead every other area of your life.

Peter's work ethic and self-reliance — both good things in business — became a liability in his walk with Jesus.

→
Passionate
Peter is the first to speak, the first to act, the first to volunteer. Passion without formation is dangerous.
→
Confident
Peter doesn't hesitate. He volunteers to die before he's even been tested. Confidence without humility is self-deception.
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Not Yet Needy
Peter has followed Jesus for three years — but he still hasn't learned the most important lesson. He hasn't learned that he needs Jesus.
04 Three Traps Peter Falls Into
TRAP 01 · ASK
Asking the
Wrong Question
→
"Lord, where are YOU going?" — centered on information, not formation
Immature questions center around you. Mature questions center around God. To ask is to admit you don't have the answer — which is actually the beginning of wisdom. The problem isn't that Peter asks. It's what he asks.
THIS WEEK →
Shift your prayers from "God, what about me?" to "God, what are you doing and how do I get in on it?"
TRAP 02 · NOW
Addicted
to Now
→
"Lord, why can't I go with you NOW?" — faith connected to timing, not trust
Most leaders are addicted to now. Their faith is connected to the last answered prayer — not to Jesus himself. Consider: David waited 20 years for the throne. Abraham waited 25 years for the promise. The wait is not the absence of God. It's the formation of the leader.
THIS WEEK →
Identify one area where you've been saying "God hasn't done anything for me recently." Ask: is your faith in Jesus — or in the last thing He did?
TRAP 03 · PROVE
Trying to
Prove It
→
"I would die for you!" — performance in public before tested in private
The moment you start trying to prove your faith is when you start to lose it. Jesus essentially says: "You want to die publicly for me? First, I want to see you remain faithful privately." Public declarations mean nothing without private devotion.
THIS WEEK →
Ask yourself honestly: is your private life with God stronger than your public representation of it?
TRAP 04 · KNOW
Thinking You
Already Know Him
→
"You will say three times that you don't know me" — proximity mistaken for intimacy
You can be close to Jesus and still not need Him. Peter has seen signs, wonders, and miracles. But witnessing the power of God is not the same as depending on it. You can quote scripture, lead a team, and build something real — and still not be needy enough for what's next.
THIS WEEK →
Spend time with Jesus that isn't about what you need from Him — just to know Him more.
Anchor Statement
You say you don't know Jesus because you don't need Jesus. Neediness is not weakness — it's the door to intimacy.
05 The Most Powerful People Were the Most Needy
Moses — led millions but told God "I can't speak well." His neediness made room for God's power.
Exodus 4:10
Gideon — called a mighty warrior while hiding. "My clan is the weakest. I am the least." God used his neediness to defeat an army.
Judges 6:15
The woman with the issue of blood — she doesn't push through the crowd without a vision of being well. Her need drove her to Jesus.
Mark 5:25–34
Blind Bartimaeus — "Son of David, have mercy on me!" He refused to be silenced. His need was louder than the crowd.
Mark 10:47
Jesus himself — "I only say what I hear the Father say." Even the Son of God modeled dependence. If Jesus was needy, what does that say about the rest of us?
John 12:49
06 The Neediness of Jesus

My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work.

John 4:34 · NLT

But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.

Luke 5:16 · NLT

Jesus — who had all authority, all power, all knowledge — still withdrew. Still prayed. Still depended on the Father.

If the Son of God modeled neediness, what does your self-sufficiency say about your theology?

I don't often spend more than half an hour in prayer at one time, but I never go more than half an hour without praying.
Smith Wigglesworth · British Evangelist
Look for the brightest students? That's easy — look for the ones who are the most needy. The ones who don't have to pretend they have the answers.
Samuel Williston · Harvard Law School
07 The Needy Leader vs. The Self-Sufficient Leader
SELF-SUFFICIENT LEADER NEEDY LEADER ASKS: WHAT ABOUT ME? questions centered on self ASKS: WHAT ARE YOU DOING? questions centered on God FAITH TIED TO LAST BLESSING addicted to now FAITH TIED TO JESUS HIMSELF sustained through the wait PROVES FAITH PUBLICLY performance over presence BUILDS FAITH PRIVATELY private life outpaces public one OVERESTIMATES ABILITY "I would die for you" KNOWS THEIR OWN LIMITS "apart from you I can do nothing" PLATEAU ability becomes the ceiling UNLIMITED God's ability becomes the ceiling
The self-sufficient leader is limited by what they can do. The needy leader is only limited by what God can do.
08 The Posture

I am poor and needy, but, Lord God, you care about me, and you come to my rescue. Please hurry and help.

Psalm 40:17 · CEV

David — the greatest king in Israel's history — identified himself as poor and needy.
Not in spite of his greatness. Because of it.
The Christian life is a surrendered and needy life. If you want to make progress — be needy.

09 The Commitment
This Week I Will
Peter's problem wasn't that he was passionate — it's that his passion outpaced his dependence. Name the area where you've been relying on your own ability instead of leaning on Jesus.
WHERE I'VE BEEN SELF-SUFFICIENT
WHAT NEEDINESS LOOKS LIKE FOR ME THIS WEEK
WHO WILL KEEP ME ACCOUNTABLE
Reflection
Where in your leadership have you been saying "I would die for you" — when Jesus is asking you to simply need him in private first?
I Need Jesus to Need Jesus · Peter Reeves Leadership