Satan Has Asked For You
"But you are those who have continued with Me in My trials. And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me, that you may eat and drink at My table in My Kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel."
And the LORD said, "Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren."
But he said to Him, "Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death."
Then He said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me." Luke 22:28-34 (NKJV)
And the LORD said, "Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren."
But he said to Him, "Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death."
Then He said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me." Luke 22:28-34 (NKJV)
Jesus was seated at dinner, eating His last supper on earth with His twelve disciples. He was pouring His heart out for the last time and bestowing blessings on those who had stuck faithfully with Him through all the challenges of ministry. It definitely must have been a moment to behold!
In the process of assuring the disciples of all the wonderful things in store for them, there was a sudden shift in the conversation. Jesus focused on Peter and said in an urgent voice: "Simon, Simon! Satan has asked for you that he might sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you that your faith should not fail . . . ."
I can almost imagine what was happening in the spirit realm to which Simon Peter and the other disciples were not privy! I can almost imagine Satan listening in on the conversation Jesus was having with His disciples and suddenly asking Jesus for permission to sift Peter.
To sift, in the sense being used, simply means Satan wanted to shake and agitate Peter to the point where Peter would give up his faith in God! So, question: Why would Satan ask to sift Peter as wheat? Why would he want to attack, shake and agitate Peter with the express aim of causing his faith to fail?
You see: Satan knew that God had a critical assignment for Peter in the Kingdom. He knew that Peter's sermon on the day of Pentecost was going to bring 3000 souls to Christ in one day. He knew that Peter was destined to bring leadership to the Church, write some books of the Bible, and even cause people to be healed just by the casting of his shadow on the sick. Causing Peter to fail in his faith meant that Satan would preempt all those things from happening! But the good news is that Jesus had prayed proactively for Peter so his faith would not fail. Proactive prayers take the venom out of Satan's attacks. Peter denied Jesus and went back to fishing but Jesus restored him. Peter's faith did not fail.
If you have made a decision to follow Jesus wholeheartedly and you have made yourself available for God to use you in His Kingdom, you can be sure that Satan will ask to sift you at some point in time. But don't panic because Jesus has prayed for you! You will experience trials, challenges, and attacks but hold on, you will come through! Satan has asked for you; but Jesus has prayed for you! You will not not fail! You will accomplish your God-assigned destiny!
In the process of assuring the disciples of all the wonderful things in store for them, there was a sudden shift in the conversation. Jesus focused on Peter and said in an urgent voice: "Simon, Simon! Satan has asked for you that he might sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you that your faith should not fail . . . ."
I can almost imagine what was happening in the spirit realm to which Simon Peter and the other disciples were not privy! I can almost imagine Satan listening in on the conversation Jesus was having with His disciples and suddenly asking Jesus for permission to sift Peter.
To sift, in the sense being used, simply means Satan wanted to shake and agitate Peter to the point where Peter would give up his faith in God! So, question: Why would Satan ask to sift Peter as wheat? Why would he want to attack, shake and agitate Peter with the express aim of causing his faith to fail?
You see: Satan knew that God had a critical assignment for Peter in the Kingdom. He knew that Peter's sermon on the day of Pentecost was going to bring 3000 souls to Christ in one day. He knew that Peter was destined to bring leadership to the Church, write some books of the Bible, and even cause people to be healed just by the casting of his shadow on the sick. Causing Peter to fail in his faith meant that Satan would preempt all those things from happening! But the good news is that Jesus had prayed proactively for Peter so his faith would not fail. Proactive prayers take the venom out of Satan's attacks. Peter denied Jesus and went back to fishing but Jesus restored him. Peter's faith did not fail.
If you have made a decision to follow Jesus wholeheartedly and you have made yourself available for God to use you in His Kingdom, you can be sure that Satan will ask to sift you at some point in time. But don't panic because Jesus has prayed for you! You will experience trials, challenges, and attacks but hold on, you will come through! Satan has asked for you; but Jesus has prayed for you! You will not not fail! You will accomplish your God-assigned destiny!
Prayer: Lord, I thank you that nothing will ever happen to me without your knowledge or sanction. I thank you that I can depend on your prayers to see me through every attack of the enemy. When Satan asks to sift me, I can remain confident that you will uphold me with your prayers. Amen.