"Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded 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." But he said to Him, "Lord, with You I am ready to go both to prison and to death!" And He said, "I say to you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know Me."
(Luk 22:31-34)
The next blessing that we have in the midst of temptation is what our Lord told Simon after telling him that he was about to be sifted like wheat:
"but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail".
If Peter really believed that Jesus was the Son of God, the Messiah, these words should have given him the greatest assurance ever. Imagine the Lord Himself saying that He prayed for Simon that his faith would not fail!
And not only that, but the Lord also prayed that after Peter would overcome the temptation he would go and strengthen his brothers after successfully overcoming the temptation. Jesus prayer for Peter was for while he was going through the temptation,and also after the temptation. It was a complete prayer!
All Peter had to do was to face the temptation fully trusting that his Lord had prayed that his faith would not fail, and that his experience would strengthen his brothers.
Sadly, Peter did not do that.
"But he said to Him, "Lord, with You I am ready to go both to prison and to death!"
Peter trusted in himself. He wanted to boast, either to his Lord, or to the other disciples who were there listening. It's as if he wanted to prove himself as the top disciple who would be ready to follow his Lord no matter what!
Of course our Lord wants us standing as a disciple who will be with the Lord through thick and thin, even in the midst of death. This is why throughout the history of the church, even up to today, we have believers standing before governments, before people, facing persecution and death and yet not forsaking their faith and walk with the Lord.
But God wants us doing this not depending on our own strength, but in the strength and grace of our God.
Depending on our own strength and effort will lead to boasting in our self, and will not bring glory to God in our heart and to others.
But depending on God strengthens our faith, and makes us trust in a power that comes from God Himself to overcome all temptation that we face. This is what truly glorifies our God!
Our Lord and Savior has the same heart's desire for each of His disciples today in the midst of temptation - that our faith may not fail, and that after the victory over temptation that we will go and strengthen our brothers.
When Jesus prayed for Simon He was praying as a man calling on His Father to grant us this strength. Today, as the One seated at the right hand of the Father, He may not be praying anymore for us because He is not a man anymore, but He still has the same heart's desire for us, just as He did with Simon and the other disciples.
What a blessing it is to know that our Lord will see us through every temptation, as we trust in Him, and in His working of righteousness in our life. Truly He is the source of faith and strength for every believer!
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