There are many instances of how God's power worked mightily in Peter, through the prayers of Jesus, to strengthen Christ's church. After Peter persisted in preaching Christ's Gospel, the rulers beat Peter and the others, again prohibiting them from preaching about Christ. But the prayers of Christ for Peter, and the strengthening of the brethren, resulted in them all rejoicing, that they were counted worthy to suffer shame and persecution for Christ's sake! They went right back out and kept on preaching the Gospel, defying what the rulers had commanded. Soon, God instructed Peter that the Gospel was not just for Jews, but for despised Gentiles as well. Christ accomplished this by showing to Peter various unclean animals in a vision, instructing Peter to partake of them. Peter at first refused, saying "not so, Lord!" Under the law, Jews were forbidden to eat unclean animals. But the Lord explained that Peter must not call anything common or unclean that He had cleansed. Meanwhile, God had instructed the Roman centurion Cornelius to summon Peter, and he would come tell Cornelius what the Lord required him to do. Upon seeing Cornelius and his family and friends gathered together to hear what the Lord wanted Peter to tell them, Peter described why he had come: you know that it is unlawful for a Jew to keep company with the Gentiles, but God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean! God had busted Peter out of his cultural heritage and prejudiced thinking, in order for Peter to lead the Gentiles to the Lord Jesus as their Savior. He could no longer avoid doing so by clinging to the idea that they were somehow inferior or outside of God's grace!