I’m Not Sifted, But I Am Lifted
And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold Satan hat desired to have you, the he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen they brethren. Luke 22:31-32
My brothers and sisters, I have come to the conclusion that many of the troubles and trials that have come upon us or is going to come upon us, they all started from the ground that was cursed from the fall of Adam and Eve. Every since the day Genesis 3, from time to time, Satan singles us out. But oh brothers and sisters, I don’t know about you, but I am a living witness that when we learn to heed the warning and assurance Jesus gave to Simon Peter, it is only then that we can smile at Satan’s rage. Since Genesis 3, we have had our share of troubles and trials. Since Genesis 3, our persona pain have gotten the best of us. Since Genesis 3, tears have showed up at our midnight hours. Since Genesis 3, sickness has put itself in the position of making feel like they just can’t get well. Since Genesis 3, heartaches and sorrow has found a resting place in our weary souls. Oh brothers and sisters, I don’t know what troubles or trials that you are going through, but I need to tell you that because Jesus prayed for us, we are not sifted, but we are lifted.
The fact is, we all go through trials and difficulties. Jesus warned Peter that he would go through a testing period. Jesus apparently believed that this process was necessary for Peter. Jesus called it a sifting like wheat. Oh brothers and sisters, hat Christ of ours is preparing Peter for a purpose. And I think I ought to tell you that God does that with us. He allows folk, circumstances, and events in our lives to take place in order to sift us. Jesus allowed it in Peter’s life even though he loved Peter. It had to go through Jesus before Satan got permission, but Jesus did allow it. Now I need you to notice also that Jesus encouraged Peter “Somebody prayed for me; had me on their mind; took the time and prayed for me. I’m so glad they prayed. I’m so glad they prayed. I’m so glad they prayed for me.” Oh brothers and sisters, the song goes on to say that my mother prayed for me; my father prayed for me. And yes, even JESUS prayed for me.
envisioned or thought of this song as a shouting song until I found myself standing in the need of prayer and I couldn’t pray for myself. Oh brothers and sisters, it was on that day while standing in the need that I needed prayer. You got to understand that there are times when our own personal successes, our own personal achievements, even our own personal well-being can be directly contributed to the prayers of somebody else. Have I got a witness? Somebody can help me testify that there were times when we didn’t know anything about praying for ourselves. We didn’t know anything about sending up some timbers and expecting a blessing. We didn’t know why grandma would go into that old hallway closet and shut the door behind her and stay in there for a little while. And if the truth be told, some of us still don’t know. Some folk go to bed and don’t praise God for letting them make it through the day. they don’t get up in the morning and thank God that their bed was not their cooling board. Some folk eat breakfast and don’t pray. They eat lunch and don’t pray. They eat dinner and don’t pray.
And all the while they haven’t choked on a fish bone. They haven’t drank any deadly poison, they still refuse thank the Lord. You got to understand that our blessings don’t have nothing to do with luck. And it sho’ nuf has nothing to do with us. But oh brothers and sisters, somebody took the time and got down on their bended knees and prayed to GOD on your behalf. Have I got a witness? Yes, somebody prayed for us. And even though Satan tried to sift us, somebody’s prayer lifted us. In other words somebody petitioned to God in behalf on our behalf. Somebody stepped in and talked to God on our behalf. Somebody stepped in and said a little something on our behalf that will benefit us. Oh brothers and sisters the first thing that we must understand is that when somebody pray for you, their prayer is not a selfish prayer. It is something that is done solely for somebody else. When somebody pray for us, there’s no personal benefit that the get from it. There’s no pay for praying for somebody else. There are no awards or accolades for praying for somebody else. And yet, it is our duty and responsibility as Christians to pray for somebody else.
James tells us to pray one for another. And if the Word of God says it then we should do it. Am I right about it? It is when we pray for somebody else that we let God know that it’s not all about us. You know how it is. Some folk think that the sun rises and sets on them. They think that they are all of that and a bag of chips and everybody needs to know about it. Some always have the attitude that it’s always me, my, and I. Look at me and how good I look. Look at my house and see what I have done. Look at what I have accomplished all by myself. Some folk never give anyone else any credit. And some of them don’t even give any credit to GOD. They are selfish. Oh brothers and sisters, our selfishness does not just stop with our prayer life. We are selfish in giving back what we know is owed to God. We are selfish in giving some of our time and our service to the LORD. We are selfish on the job. We are selfish in our homes. We are selfish in our relationships. We are just plain old ordinary selfish. And some folk don’t care about anybody, but themselves.
But when we stop in the middle of our day and recognize that there are others who need us to pray for them, it is then that GOD will start to move in your life. Can I get a witness? If you don’t believe me ask old man Job. We all know the story of Job; of how he had everything going his way. But then Satan came into the picture. And God allowed Satan to take away everything that Job had. He even took the lives of his seven sons and three daughters. Not only that, but Job’s whole body became covered with sores. Oh I could see the hurt and the pain that Job must have been in. But I need you to look at how God works. Job 42:10 says the LORD turned Job situation around. Job prayed for his friends. In spite his own problems and condition, Job prayed for his friends. In spite of the pain that raced through his body, Job took the time to pray for somebody else. In spite of his heart being broken from the loss of his family, Job still put self out of the way and prayed for his friends. And don’t you know my brothers and sisters that it was at that point the Bible says that God turned Job’s situation around. In other words, enough was enough. And what I like about is that not only did he turn Job’s circumstances around, but GOD gave Job double for his trouble.
For the Bible says that the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before. Oh brothers and sisters I think I ought to tell you that if you are going through heartaches in your life, start praying for somebody else. If you are going through the strain of a bad relationship start praying for somebody else. If you don’t know how you’re going to make ends meet; don’t know how your car note and your house note are going to get paid. Stop worrying about yourself and start praying for somebody else. Because if you pray for your friends, GOD will turn around your
circumstances; He’ll free you of your captivity; and not only that, but he’ll give you double for your trouble. I wonder if there’s anybody in here, who is ready, willing, and able to receive double for your trouble, And I must tell you this morning that if you plan on praying for somebody else, the first thing that you should do is get your own righteousness together. For the Bible tells us to seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.
See you need to know and understand this morning that it’s okay to be righteous. Don’t worry about somebody calling you holier than thou, you just continue to seek God’s righteousness. Because if you line up under the righteousness of GOD, then there is nothing that you pray that won’t be heard. For the Bible says that the effectual fervent prayers of the righteous man avaiileth much. It accomplishes much. It achieves much. And I don’t know about you, but I want my prayers to be heard by God. I want my prayers heard and not falling on deaf ears. Because I know that if God hears my cry, Satan may try to sift me, but through prayer I’m lifted. But oh brothers and sisters, I must warn you. When you start getting closer to God. When you start walking with Him because you want to and not because you have to, that’s when the devil will come around you and try to sift. And we might as well be honest with ourselves, a lot of times in our own lives, the reason that our prayers are not heard is because of the stain of sin. Have I got a witness? If we were to be honest I believe that we would all confess that the biggest hindrance to a child of God is dealing with our sinful nature. If it weren’t for the sinful nature that we have, our walk with the Lord would be tremendous. It would be fruitful. It would be dynamic. But the problem is that sin will cripple a child of God.
You see, we would be all right if it weren’t for Satan and Genesis 3. We would have more spiritual power if it weren’t for Satan and Genesis 3. We would have greater depth of relationship with God if it weren’t for Genesis 3. We would have spiritual power seen and unseen if it weren’t for Genesis 3. Oh brothers and sisters, when Satan has sifted you, it turns dynamic personalities into dropouts. When Satan has sifted you, it turns mathematical geniuses into numbers runners. When Satan has sifted you, it turns preachers into great prisoners. It turns youth with potential into potential drug addicts. It turns choir members into pew members. Oh brothers and sisters, I think I ought to tell you that when Satan is an equal opportunity sifter. Satan don’t recognize social status. The apostle Paul said that when I would do good, evil is present with me. And my brothers and sisters, I have discovered that even the best believers, even the best Christians are subject to being sifted. I’m happy to report to you that I’m not sifted, but I am lifted. Oh brothers and sisters, Donnie McClurkin sings the popular song called “We Fall Down.” This song is popular because we can identify with the song.
It says that We fall down, but we get up. We fall down, but we get up. We fall down, but we get up. For a saint is just a sinner who fell down. And got up.” And allow me to suggest to you this morning that sin will cause you to fall. And the penalty of sin for a child of God is not separation from God in relationship, but its separation from God in fellowship. Jesus told a story of a young man who left the security of his father’s home. Y’all know the story, he went into a far country, spent all that his father had given him and he wounded up working in a hog pen, but the record tells us that when he “came to himself,” he returned back to the father’s house. And his father welcomed him back with open arms and father called him son. In other words, he never stopped being his father’s son. Have I got a witness? Oh I wish I had some help up in here. And I would have to say today that when a child of God is sifted, you never stop being a child of God. No, you never stop being His child. But the fellowship is disturbed. When the fellowship is disturbed, you can’t hear what God is saying. When the fellowship is disturbed, you can’t recognize what God is doing.
When the fellowship is disturbed, you can’t appreciate what God is giving to you. When the fellowship is disturbed, you can’t appreciate the goodness of God. When the fellowship is disturbed, you can’t celebrate how awesome God is. And right here this morning, somebody in this place knows that your fellowship with God was disturbed. As a matter of fact, it was disturbed so much, that you are sitting here and can’t feel anything right now. Because your fellowship is disturbed and because you are sifted, worship is worthless to you. Praises are just loud noises to you. Lifting hands is only a waste of time to you. Preaching is a loud speech bordering on hurting your ears. And it’s all because your fellowship has been disturbed. Oh brothers and sisters, lest I hold you too long, sin will disturb your fellowship, but I want you to know this morning that you are not alone. Adam was given dominion and blessings, but sin came a calling.
Abraham was given the Promises of God, but sin came a calling. Moses was given leadership of a nation, but sin came a calling. Noah was given mankind’s second chance, but sin came a calling. David was promoted from the pasture to the palace, but sin kept right on calling. Jonah was given a call by the Lord, but sin came a calling. Paul was given missionary assignments, but sin came a calling. And somebody here tonight has been given blessings by the LORD, but Satan is dangling sin in front of your face. My brothers and my sisters, if the truth be told this morning, God is giving us more and more. God is blessing our lives. God is doing great things in our lives. I believe that we all can testify that we’re better off now than we have ever have been. But oh my brothers and my sisters, Satan, that old devil, is trying to get to you away from God. I know you think you’re Superman. I know you think that you’re a Wonder Woman. But got to remember, that even Superman lost his strength when he came in contact with Kryptonite. And I don’t care who you are, Satan will find you and try to show up your weakness. I stopped by to let you know that although your fellowship has been disturbed, you ought to thank God, that it has not been destroyed.
All that God of ours is able to restore you to the joy of His fellowship. And I don’t care who you are this morning, Satan desires you sift you. But oh my brothers and my sisters, I got good news for you this morning, The Lord will step in on your behalf. The Lord will get in your business. You know, I don’t like a whole lot of folk in my business, but I don’t mind Jesus getting in my business. Oh my brothers and my sisters, Jesus said, I prayed for you. I don’t know about you, but I’m glad that Jesus is praying for me. Friends may forget me. Family may forget to pray for me, but I got Jesus and I know I can depend on Him. When I’m weak the Lord is still praying. When I’m going out, the Lord is still praying. When I’m in trouble Jesus is still praying. When my friends walk off and leave me, the Lord is still praying. When the bills are high and the money is low, the Lord is still praying. And oh my brothers and my sisters, I’m going home when I tell you that because because prayed for me, the joy of the Lord is my strength. Because Jesus prayed for me, I can do all things, through Christ that strengthens me. Because Jesus prayed for me, I can look to the hills from which cometh my help. Because Jesus prayed for me, no weapon formed against me shall prosper. Because Jesus prayed for me, I’m not sifted, but I’m lifted. And because I’m lifted, greater is He that’s in me, than he that’s in the world. Because I’m lifted, discouragement, don’t live in my house. Because I’m lifted, the pressures of life is not welcome to my address. Because I’m lifted, I can take God at His word. Because I’m lifted, I ccan tell myself, yes I can. Because I’m lifted, Oh my brothers and my sisters, I want you to know this morning that no matter what comes in your life, God is always there. And because He’s there, His love lifts me. And when He lifts me, I don’t mind getting on fire for Him. And I don’t know about you this morning, but I don’t won’t nobody to put out my fire.
