“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”
Faith carries you through the great struggles of life!
You wouldn’t want to hear Jesus speak the words of this passage to you, would you? Imagine knowing ahead of time that Satan was about to “sift you like wheat”. And don’t miss a very significant thing in this passage. Jesus doesn’t pray that Simon Peter’s faith would protect him from this painful trial, but rather that it would carry him through the trial.
Sometimes God keeps us from danger or difficulty, but very often his power carries us through times of difficulty. Going through the difficulty draws us closer to him if we maintain our faith.
If you get the idea that faith in God means that he will keep you from the struggles of life, and then God allows you to go through a painful experience, you will either live in denial or your faith will crumble. But when you learn that God will allow you to experience this fallen world, but that he will walk with you and enable you to face those trials with his power, then you will be able to respond with faith in any situation. Like Peter, you’ll come through rock-solid, ready to strengthen others.
For the iPhone app and more from John North and Ambassadors For Christ International, click here.
