Shim‘on, Shim‘on, listen! The Adversary demanded to have you people for himself, to sift you like wheat! But I prayed for you, Shim‘on, that your trust might not fail. And you, once you have turned back in repentance, strengthen your brothers!”
(Luke 22:31-32, Complete Jewish Bible)
Shim’on, or Simon Peter, was receiving a directive, not a suggestion, from Jesus.
“. . . ,listen!”
What if we heeded His command and listened closely to what followed?
The Adversary, or Satan, “demanded to have” all of the disciples (you people) “for himself.” This begs multiple questions:
Who is Satan asking permission from?
Per the example in Job, Satan must get permission from God. Although the Adversary is powerful, God is the ultimate power.
Why then would God grant permission?
We don’t know 100% for sure, but scripture does say that God will perfect the bride of Christ through affliction and temptation (1 Peter 1:6, 3:17), and that our ways are not His ways (Isaiah 55:8).
Who then prays on our behalf? Do we have an ally, or are we on our own?
Jesus said, “But I prayed for you, Shim‘on [Simon Peter], that your trust might not fail.” Jesus prayed that Peter would be able to overcome the sifting of Satan.
It says that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words (Rom. 8:26), and that Christ Jesus . . . who is at the right hand of God, . . . also intercedes for us (Rom 8:34).
You not only have an ally, you have the ultimate allies. You are surrounded by prayers of the most holy.
Does this mean I will never fail given this prayer cover?
Look at the next line . . . “once you have turned back in repentance.” Why did Jesus say this? Because he knew Shim’on, or Simon Peter, would fail.
Let that sink in. The maker and sustainer of the universe did not pray that Peter would not deny Him; rather, he prayed that Peter’s “trust might not fail” once he turned back in repentance after he had failed.
How can this encourage us? How can this encourage me?
Jesus knows our frailty. He knows, even with our best intentions, that at times we will lose our temper, not defend our faith, or fail in so many ways. Our encouragement is His prayer that we will not lose our trust in Him after we genuinely repent of each of our failures.
When we fail, we can turn back [repent] into the arms of our loving Father, trusting Him. Each time we turn back to God, He can then use our failures and our “returnings” to transform our character and even prepare us for our future assignments and calling.
Think this last sentence is true? What did Jesus direct Peter to do at the end of this verse?
Jesus knew that Peter would feel deep shame after denying him three times. Jesus knew that this would be a defining event in the development of Peter’s character, courage, and humility. Jesus knew this would be an essential failure upon which Peter could become grounded in his resolve for the gospel. Jesus knew this was a foundational event to launch Peter into his leadership role of the disciples.
So, Jesus directs Peter to “strengthen your brothers” after Peter had repented. Peter was being commissioned to become the leader he was always meant to be only after he experienced this humiliating failure. Jesus used Peter’s failure, turning back, and trust to prepare him for his new role and future.
NOTE: Jesus did not pray that Peter would not be sifted. The sifting to enable Peter’s turning back was allowed.
Is it the purpose of this post to encourage you to fail?
No. But do these scriptures encourage you that when you do fail, as your Adversary is trying to sift you, that you have Jesus and the Holy Spirit on your side, that you can turn back from your failure and return to Jesus, and that when you return, God may just have further prepared or transformed you in a way you never before predicted?
Can you think of a time when God used your failure, possibly even in response to a sifting, and then your turning back and trusting Him in a way that transformed or prepared you for some future event or responsibility?
Feel free to share below.