"Satan has asked permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you , when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers." Luke 22:32
Following the triumphal entry of Jesus into the city of Jerusalem, He gathered His disciples in the upper room to celebrate The Passover. As evening drew near, the disciples faithfully observed this time-honored tradition of the Hebrew people.
As they celebrated their ancestors deliverance from their slavery in Egypt, the disciples were unaware of the gathering storm of spiritual warfare that was approaching them. Jesus was not caught off guard by what was coming. He was prepared to meet the conflict, not avoid it. His mission was to confront and defeat the enemy. Prayer was his mighty weapon of warfare. He wielded it against the evil one, as He interceded for His disciples to conquer their temptation to run in the face of the enemy.
Jesus said to Peter, the natural born leader of The Twelve, "Satan has asked permission to sift you like wheat; "
Luke 22:31
Any success in the battle between good and evil swings on the hinges of Christ's permission and His intercession. Some politically correct preachers find it hard to believe, but Jesus believed in Satan. Jesus did not believe Satan was omnipotent, but he was real. He still is, but he also has real limitations. He has to seek permission from Jesus to test the strength of Peter.
Never forget. Faith is revealed when you first believe in Jesus. Faith is strengthened when you understand Jesus believes in you. Satan's mission is to steal, kill and destroy. Because he is a liar, he believes everyone else is a liar too. In the case of Peter, Satan was confident he could destroy Peter's witness by attacking his faith. Jesus understands that a person's faith is strengthened by these attacks. Satan is a slow learner. He will come after your faith too. Be ready for it.
Jesus told Peter, "but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers." Luke 22:3
"But" is the conjunction that marks the junction where the prayers of Jesus meet Satan's attack on your faith. Personal strength is needed for a relentless struggle against evil. Jesus prayed for
Peter to place his confidence in God, not in himself. Jesus was aware of Peter's capacity for either fear or faith. He could see where Peter's pride was going to take Him. He warned him failure was coming, but he encouraged him to fail forward, and strengthen his brothers with what he would learn from his fall.
"If I could hear Jesus praying for me in the next room, I would not fear a million enemies. But the distance makes no difference. He is praying for me."
Robert Murray M'Cheyne
Jesus knew Peter's arrogant, self-confidence was based upon an inflated assessment of his own strength. Personal pride was Peter's greatest hindrance to his battle against evil. He relied too heavily on his own opinion and he valued his own courage to highly. When he heard Jesus say He was praying for him, he didn't thank Him for it. He boasted to Jesus, and shamed the other disciples by boldly claiming.
"Lord, with You I am ready to go both to prison and to death."
v. 33
Peter didn't know what he was saying, but his words were filled with truth. Deaf to the words of Jesus, he took strength in the sound of his own voice. Rather than taking the words of Jesus to heart, he relied upon his past track record. Peter had no idea his pride was setting the pace in a race to disgrace.
Peter was exactly right. Pay attention to his words, "Lord, with You I am ready..." When Peter was with Jesus he was full of faith, not fear. Peter was in the habit of taking credit for his past successes, without recognizing Jesus was the source of his strength. When Peter kept his eyes on Jesus he was capable of great faith. When he lost sight of Jesus, he was capable of great fear. Independence doesn't strengthen you for the battle against evil. Dependence does. Are you ready for the battle? PRAY!
NOTE TO SELF: Pray for strength. You don't have what you need to face what the forces of evil can put in your path. No matter how hard you try to see into the dark, you just never see it coming without the eyes of faith. Jesus is the source of all you need for the challenges you face. Prayer enables you to hear Jesus praying for you, and to experience His Spirit filling you with His courage. Boasting of your own strength only reveals your weakness to the enemy. Humbling yourself before God invites The Strengthener to fill you with His Presence. The battle is coming. Get ready.
TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!