GOD’S WORD FOR DECEMBER 25

HAVE A BLESSED CHRISTMAS!

Our  book this month  is a continuation of “Chiseled by the Master’s Hand ~ Lessons From the Life of Peter,” by Erwin  Lutzer.  Dr. Lutzer is  Canadian-born and served as Senior Pastor of the Moody Church in Chicago for 36 years, until his retirement in 2016.   He now serves as Pastor Emeritus of Moody Church.  He’s written many books and has radio and internet teaching programs.

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FROM REGRET TO RESTORATION

(Read Luke 22:31-62)

Knowing what was about to happen, Christ prayed for Peter.  He addressed His disciple as Simon, for this night the rock would revert back to sand.  “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.”

Christ prayed for Peter specifically.  This is clear in the Greek New Testament when Jesus said, “Satan has demanded permission to sift you.”  The Greek word “you” is plural.  Satan had demanded permission to sift ALL of the disciples.  But when He continued, “but I have prayed for you,” that word “you” is singular!   The focus of Christ’s prayer was Peter.  He was the one who needed the special strength at the moment.

Why did Jesus pray for Peter?  Was it because Peter held such a lofty position in the group?  Hardly.  Peter was the rash and egotistical one.  He was not the mild-mannered, consistent follower.

 Was it because Peter was bold and able to make wise decisions?  Wrong again!  The reason Jesus prayed for Peter was precisely because he was so weak, so easily tripped up in his spiritual perception.  Show me a man who is wretched, who is broken up emotionally, who cries out to God in the agony of his soul’—  you show me a woman who is fallen and crushed by her sin, who is unstable and unable to get a grip on her emotions, and I will show you a person upon whom the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ rests.

You remember the story of the shepherd.  He had ninety nine fine, obedient sheep in the fold.  Yet there was one that had gone astray, who was out in the night, and that is the one the shepherd pursued.  This is in Luke 15:4-6.

 Jesus sees everyone reading this page, but He is particularly looking at the one who is following afar off, the one whose faith has almost failed, and the one who feels outside of the embrace of God.  He has prayed for you personality, as He prayed for Peter.

Significantly, Jesus’ prayer is not a “bless everyone” generalization.  He prays against Satan’s coming assault.  He prays that the devil’s victory will be turned to defeat. 

When wheat grows, a coating called chaff protects the grain.  In the old-fashioned winnowing of Jesus’ day, the chaff was separated from the wheat by walking an animal on the husks and then throwing the mixture into the air so that the wind would blow the chaff away.  Modern harvesting equipment uses a sieve.  Jesus was saying to Peter, “Satan wants to sift you and prove that you are nothing but chaff.”

Does our exposure to temptation have anything to do with evil spirits?  Yes.  Peter may not have realized that his fear originated with the devil.  But the Lord opened the veil so that we can glimpse behind the scenes and know that there was more to this battle than meets the eye.  In the spirit world a vicious battle was in progress for Peter’s heart.

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1 Peter 5:8

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

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James  4:7

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

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1 Corinthians 10:13

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

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2 Corinthians 10:4

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,

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Romans 8:37

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

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1 John 4:4

You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

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1 John 5:4

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

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1Corinthians 15:57

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

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