LUKE 22:31-32 FROM FALTERING FAITH TO FEEDING THE FLOCK

FROM FALTERING FAITH

TO FEEDING THE FLOCK

And the Lord said,

Simon, Simon, behold,

Satan hath desired to have you,

that he may sift you as wheat:

But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not:

and when thou art converted,

strengthen thy brethren.

Luke 22:31-32 (KJV)

He saith unto him the third time,

Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?

Peter was grieved because he said unto him

the third time, Lovest thou me?

And he said unto him,

Lord, thou knowest all things;

thou knowest that I love thee.

Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

John 21:17 (KJV)

Sifting does not sound like a very comfortable process. The Adversary wanted to shake Peter up and see what fell out. Note that Jesus did not say, “But the Father told that old Serpent, ‘No way!’” Instead, he assured Peter that He himself had prayed that Peter’s faith would not fail. Satan had to ask permission to put Peter through trials just as he had done with Job. Therefore, we must surmise that God gave the Devil permission to sift Peter. Just as the refiner uses fire to purify silver by removing the dross, the sifter removes the unwanted parts of the wheat to leave the edible parts. Peter was asked point blank three times whether he was with Jesus or not and denied knowing him all three times. However, note that in the Lord’s warning to Peter, there is the hope of restoration. When the resurrected Jesus called Peter and some of the other disciples in off the lake, He took Peter aside. Peter had denied Jesus three times, so Jesus gave him the opportunity to affirm his love for Jesus three times. Then He gave Peter the assignment of “feeding His sheep” or shepherding His flock, in other words “strengthening his brothers” as the Lord had instructed him to do after his time of sifting. Peter’s faith faltered the night of Jesus’s arrest, but the Lord did not leave him in despair. In fact, Peter was empowered mightily to serve in the leadership of the early church AFTER he had denied knowing Jesus. Have you gone through a time of testing, of being sifted, and feel like you are now unworthy to serve the Lord? Do not despair. Turn to the Lord, receive His forgiveness, be assured of His love and reaffirm your love for Him. Then stand back and see how He raises you up to do things you could not have done with all the unnecessary chaff weighing you down!

Father, may we honestly pray Psalm 139:23-24, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Sift away any impurities and leave only that which will bring glory to You.