YEAR 2 WEEK 7: “SIMON, SIMON, SATAN HAS ASKED TO SIFT YOU AS WHEAT….” (LUKE 22:31-32)

1.Jesus starts off this verse using Peter’s old name!! By using the name Simon, Jesus could be reminding him that this would be a moment of weakness in his walk rather than strength, to HUMBLE Peter, since in vs 33 Peter was in danger of being PRIDEFUL in confidently stating he was ready to die for Jesus!! (See also Peter’s pride in Matthew 26:33 where he thought he was better than all the other disciples) BEWARE OF THE DANGER OF PRIDE!! THE LORD MAY ALLOW TRIALS TO HUMBLE US!!

2.In vs 31 it is comforting to know that satan needed to ask Jesus/God for PERMISSION before he could sift Simon (Job 1:9-12, Numbers 22:16-18,23:8,20)!! THE ENEMY NEEDS GOD’S PERMISSION BEFORE HE CAN TOUCH GOD’ S CHILDREN, and if God has allowed it, it is because He has a bigger purpose behind it and because He knows it is not going to ultimately get the better of us (see 1 Corinthians 10:13, 2 Corinthians 4:6-8, Job 23:10)!

3.Lord Jesus, it is interesting that you didn’t pray for Simon to be exempt from satan’s sifting but rather that his FAITH MAY NOT FAIL in the sifting!! (Dear Jesus, please intercede on my behalf and don’t let my faith fail you in the sifting!!) 1 Thessalonians 3:5.

4.”AND WHEN YOU HAVE RETURNED STRENGTHEN YOUR BROTHERS….”

“Life after the sifting”. We were never meant to live in SELF PITY or SELF CONDEMNATION but rather to get back up and back to serving Jesus after the sifting!! After Peter’s denial of Jesus, in John 21:1-3, he was tempted to wallow in self pity and go back to his old life of fishing. But Jesus graciously restored him (John 21:15-17).

So often when we stuff up and fail Jesus, we allow SELF-CONDEMNATION and SELF PITY to stop us getting back up to serving the Lord after repenting!!

PRAYER:

JESUS, THANK YOU THAT YOU ARE ALSO INTERCEDING ON MY BEHALF IN THE MIDST OF SATAN’S ATTACKS (Luke 22:32, Romans 8:34, John 17:11-20)! Please don’t let the faith you have given me as a gift (Ephesians 2:8-9) fail in the midst of the sifting/trial!!