ALL YOU NEED IS FAITH
LUKE 22:31-34
And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fails not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison and to death. And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.
In this passage, Jesus was addressing Peter (but applicable to every believer), alerting him of what is ahead of him. Satan has put his bait, request, desire or to put claim his walk with Jesus. Satan was not asking for his life, nor his inheritance but his stand in faith.
LUKE 22:32
Jesus said I have prayed for you to keep your faith from falling.
He was not praying for him not to fail nor make mistakes, but that his faith will not fail. (Difference) Believers can stumble and fall without losing their faith if they realize their mistake and cry out to God for repentance.
LESSON:
Be sober; be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith…
Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.
(1 Peter 5:6-7a, Revelation 12:12)
Luke 22:31-32
And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fails not.
Before I was afflicted I went astray but now I keep Your word. It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn your statutes. I know, O LORD, that Your judgments are right, And that in faithfulness You have afflicted me. Let Your tender mercies come to me, that I may live; For Your law is my delight. (Psalm 119:67, 71, 75)
Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. (Luke 10:30) – (leaving the place of rest to the place of struggle and warfare)
When He came to the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation. ”When He rose up from prayer and had come to His disciples, He found them sleeping from sorrow. Then He said to them, “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray lest you enter into temptation.” (Luke 22:40, 45-46)
Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him. But without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
(Hebrews 10:38, 11:6)
I will go into Your house with burnt offerings; I will pay You my vows, Which my lips have uttered, and my mouth has spoken when I was in trouble.
Come and hear, all you who fear God, And I will declare what He has done for my soul.
“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.(Psalm 66:13-14, 16; Revelation12:11)
Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivered him out of them all.
For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.
The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.
He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me.
They cried unto thee and were delivered: they trusted in thee and were not confounded.
But thanks be to God, who gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Psalm 34:19,1 Corinthians 15:57; Psalm 34:17; 56:13, 22:5, 1 John 5:4) There is a constant demonic plot, meeting, and conference to monitor and destroy the life of a believer Until our eyes are opened, we don’t know the things God is preventing in our lives.
There is a certain level or height some people cannot get to until their lives are shaken or messed up. If Satan succeeds in sifting you, he has succeeded in stealing for you. Many people fail today especially ministers of the gospel because no one is praying for them and they are not praying either. Your faith is the only currency as a believer for your pleasing God and survival. Be ready to share the testimony of your victory because it helps others to overcome. No matter what the devil throws at you, you will have the last laugh.
PRAYERS Father I surrender my life, family, and all that concerns me into your hands, keep me from the enemy. Every evil desire of the enemy against my life, my family, and the works of my hands, this day, let it be altered, in Jesus' name. Father, everywhere the enemy has sifted me because of my fall or mess, take me back and raise me up again, in Jesus' name. Father, I declare that my faith in you will not fail.