I AM GLAD JESUS PRAYED
I am so glad that Jesus took the time and got down on His bended knees and prayed to GOD on our behalf. And it is when we pray for somebody else, we let God know that it¡¦s not all about ourselves, and that what Jesus did, He let us know, it was not just about Himself, but the love that He had for us all. We didn¡¦t deserve it, but Jesus gave His life, so that we may have eternal life.
Luke 22:31-32
Now the Lord knew Peter weakness better than Peter knew himself, He knew that Peter was hot headed and that many times he spoke before he thought, and that he could be easily influenced, and crack under pressure.
But the Lord also knew that Peter was loyal and devoted, he was courageous, and that his heart and intentions were for the best; but he simply just lacked the inner strength that a lot us don¡¦t have to stick to our guns. However, in spite of his faults, he was still a good person, and he had the potential for being a great leader.
And Jesus recognized all of this . . . . But Jesus was not the only one who saw Peter¡¦s potential for leadership and a great leader---Satan recognized it also.
So let us not make the mistake of thinking that the Lord is the only one with an eye on us, because Satan has his eyes on us also. That why during the Last Supper, Jesus turned to Peter and said, ¡§Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you.¡¨ Jesus knew that Satan recognized Peter¡¦s potential. So Jesus told Peter, ¡§I¡¦ve prayed that your faith fail not.¡¨ ¡§I have prayed for you that above and beyond all else your faith may not fail.
However, Peter was not aware that Satan had recognized him and had plans for him. And the same with us, Satan recognizes us and has plans for us that we are not aware of; and Peter did not know that at that time in a few hours the Shepherd would be taken and that the sheep would scatter.
He did not know that he would have to stand by himself and either affirm or deny Christ. He did not know that at that very moment, Satan was closer than ever to tearing apart the disciples¡KHe just didn¡¦t know it¡Kbut Jesus did¡K And Satan today is continuously asking for, or demanding to torment God¡¦s Children.
Notice Satan said ¡§to sift him---and to sift is to rub together, between the hands, and when you rub something between your hands, depending on what it is, it will crumble. Satan wanted to demonstrate that Peter is chaff, something that does not belong. He wanted to prove that Peter was not worthy to be God¡¦s child; he wanted to prove that Peter does not have what it takes to be a leader. He wanted to put Peter through difficult times to see if he would crumble and denied his savior and his faith.
Therefore, Jesus warning to Peter, during that time is the same for us today. Satan is still trying to sift us, to destroy all that we are, to break our spirits, our hearts, our families and our faith in God.
You see the world is a battleground where the forces under Satan¡¦s power and those under God¡¦s authority are at war. Satan and his forces are motivated by bitter hatred for Christ and his forces.
Every time there is a problem with your kids, Satan is sifting. Every time we cannot pay a bill, even though we work hard and are financially responsible and trying to do our best to keep up¡KSatan is sifting¡Kevery time we get angry for any reasons¡KSatan is sifting¡KEvery time we have a temptation to do wrong¡KSatan is sifting¡Kevery time our faith is put to the test Satan is sifting¡Kand He never stops.
When we do good and right pleasing the Lord, this makes Satan angry. Once you start attending church and living a better life, a righteous life, getting closer to the Lord¡Kand their less trouble and problems in our lives¡KSatan will try to ambush us by throwing roadblocks in our path because he is uneasy. Because when we are following the Lord, Satan knows that God¡¦s pray is a threat to unrighteousness and evil, and he falls in that category. When we line up with God against Satan, he will try to discourage us and weaken our faith and turn us around; to try to show us that serving God and trying to do right and live a clean and honest living does not pay. He will try to use anything and anybody because he sees us as a potential threat to his evil world . . . He knows that He has one less mouth for gossip; one less mind to conjure up evil; one less set of hands to do evil bidding, and one less pair of feet to trample on good people; and one less life to use and misuse for his own purposes. Satan is our Opponent, our accuser, and our adversary¡K
He will even enter our workplace; destroy our churches where we are building a spiritual foundation and create problems there. He will come into our homes and use those that are closet to us---our own families to create tension over money, bills, between husband and wife, parents and children. He will even use our enemies; and if that doesn¡¦t work, sometimes even the ministers or other leaders in the church¡Xanybody that he knows that we have faith in Satan will put us through a living hell to break that relationship up.
And the reasons for that is, he knows that we have potential to crumble under his attacks and that we are not strong enough to run this race against him.
When our guards are down, and we are not aware of that, here he comes. Satan will come in reduce us from a saint to a sinner, from Peter the Rock to Simon the fisherman.
However, if we were serving Satan, it would be a different story because we would pose no threats to his evil work in the world. There, would be need for him to throw any roadblocks or any obstacles in our path. Furthermore, he would do anything to keep us happy by letting us have our wishes whether we need them or not as long as we are not a threat to him.
The moment when we feel that we have just about overcome evil, when we feel proud of how much we¡¦ve grown and change, sin will find an opportunity to raise up and show us that there are still gaps in our lives where Satan can pull out our old selves, our former ways, thoughts and conversations.
Now in spite of Peter loyalty to Jesus, and His devotion, Satan still wanted Peter Soul. So you see it did not matter to Satan that Simon was one of Jesus disciples; all he was concerned about was wanted Simon soul¡Kand it does not matter to Satan today, about us being disciples and followers of Chirst¡K.His only concern and main gold is our souls, trying to tear down our faith. And if he could do it by suffering¡Khe will try that¡Kif he could do it by wealth¡Khe will try that¡KSatan will do whatever it takes to gain control over our souls if we let him. Because Satan has no shame in his game.
Even though we may think we are holy enough, righteousness enough, powerful enough, we are still no matches for Satan. Because there are still weapons, and tricks of Satan that we have never seen before.
When Jesus Said ¡§I have prayed for thee¡¨ this is a reminder to us that God is sovereign, God is in control, He sets the boundaries, the limits, and the borders for Satan. I say Jesus did not die on the Cross-to purchase our salvation and then allow Satan to steal our eternal life. And Jesus is not just any defense lawyer who stands in our defense. He holds the title deeds to our souls and my life.
Therefore, Satan can go only so far and no further. He can only do what God permit or allows him to do. And we belong to the Father and Satan can¡¦t touch us without the permission of our owner.
We may face trials and tribulations, but Jesus said, I have prayed for thee. Things may look gloomy, but Jesus said, I have prayed for thee. So if God is for us, then who can be against us.
„h First of all, God has the final word in our life, not Satan.
„h God has the final say over what happens to our loves one, not Satan.
„h God has the final say because God is Sovereign, not Satan.
I¡¦m so glad that Jesus is on my side in the battle for my soul. Though Satan tries to sift us and to destroy us, and may have had the desire to have Simon but Jesus said ¡§I have a desire also, I am going to pray to my Father in heaven who will hear my prayer and will not suffer my redeemer faith to fail.
Jesus does not even pray that we do not stumble and fail and sin ¡V because he knows we will stumble and fail and sin just as He knew Peter would deny Him three times. However, he prayed for us today that we would hold on to our faith in the face of temptation and trails of our lives.
Jesus knew Satan intent¡K he knew Satan wanted evidence so that he can accuse the disciples; he knows that the disciples will be sifted as wheat. Jesus knew Satan intent then, just as He know now, So, Jesus prayed for his disciples, including those of us who are following Jesus today.. He prayed that the Father would keep his chosen safe from Satan¡¦s power, to hold on to us and preserve us in the face of the adversity attacks, and that none of His sheep be lost Because when the storms of life comes and we feel like we are going under. We start wondering off in the wilderness¡Kfeeling like we can¡¦t hold whole any longer, we are like just sheep¡K wondering off in the wrong direction, but Jesus say I am praying for your faith and strength for tomorrow. So that you will not have worry about tomorrow¡KJesus left us under the divine protection of the Father¡Kto keep us in Grace¡Kand I am so glad that Jesus took the time and prayed for us¡KI am so glad that he had us on his mind . . . . .
„h Because even when we have not
„h Even when we cannot
„h Even when we have forgotten
„h Even when we do not bother,¡KJesus is interceding for his saints. He is praying for his redeemers. He sees danger ahead that we do not even, know about. We may pray for dangers seen, but Jesus prays for those unseen¡Kwe may pray for danger known, but Jesus pray for those dangers unknown. We may pray when we get into a situation, but Jesus prays before the situation comes upon us.
Jesus knows in advance everything that we will be going through. And He knew that with Peter. He knew all about the denials, the lies, the cursing. He knew all about the bitter tears after the rooster crowed three times. Jesus saw it all and knew it all beforehand.
Jesus already knows that you are going to fail in some of the tests that come your way. He already knows that we are not strong enough to resist the sifting process, otherwise He would not have to pray and intercede for us.
Jesus knows that while we are feeling comfortable, while we are sleeping that Satan is working against us. Jesus knows what Satan will do next and where and how he will strike and who he will use before we do.
When Satan is assaulting us; Jesus prayed that we keep the faith; and hold on until our change comes, if our faith fails, we fail. Because faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen (Heb 11:1)
Satan will test our faith, tried and even found weak but we are going to make it through victoriously. Not because of our own power or ability, but because Jesus is praying for us¡KHe is making intercession for us¡KHis followers.
When Job lost everything, and when the people said he had nothing to live for, it was faith that helped Job lift up his head toward the heavens and say, ¡§even though I¡¦ve lost my children, although I¡¦ve lost my health, my wealth, and everything I¡¦ve owed, I still have a reason for living. For I know that my Redeemer liveth.
Job kept his Faith and trust in God. He kept his trust in the in the Almighty hands of God, the hands that can moves mountains, the hands that created this world, the hands that created you and I.
Jesus pray brought us from a mighty..mighty long way, from where we were to where we are now. Jesus brought from out of the darkness into the light¡K. and now I can look back over my life¡KI was blind, but now I can see.
When the sifting process is pressing down hard, and painful and it seems that you just can¡¦t stand it any longer, just look up to Jesus and remember His promise to you.
Romans 8:28, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."
When you make it through the sifter and Satan has done his worst, we are going to come out on top. Because our Advocate, our Lord Jesus Christ, and God Almighty will win this battle for us when Satan will be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone. Satan was released from the bottomless pit, but he will never be released from the lake of fire. And He will never be a threat to anyone again.. . Satan sifting process will end
And I am glad and I am thankful that God Almighty is on His throne of Grace listen to his Son intercedes on our behalf. Because we needed somebody¡K ¡KI said we needed somebody to stand in the gap for us¡K. we need somebody that can get a pray through for us¡K.Because there are times when Satan has beaten and confused us to the point that we can¡¦t even think straight to get a pray through to God. There are times we can¡¦t do anything but wave our hands¡KThere are times when we are so burdened down and discouraged. There are times we have broken health, and your on we are on our bed of affliction¡K there are times we have broken wealth, there are times went you broken friendship, and there are times when you tried to do your very best for people and you feel like you have no where to turn and there were times¡K..you didn¡¦t know whether you could make it from one day to the other¡K.but Thank God for Jesus¡K He had us on his mind¡K...He took the time¡KI said He took the time and got down on his bending Knee, and prayed for us, and he is still praying¡Kand I am so glad¡K.
Cause we can cast all my cares upon Him because He cares for us.We do not have to bowed down with burdens and cares because God who can takes care of the birds and the flowers will surely take care of His people. When we seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness all these things shall be added to us. We need not worry about tommorow because Jesus has already prayed for each day.
And we can look back over our life, and know that we made it to the top of Zion. We know that help cometh from the Lord who made hevean and earth¡K
And I am glad that Jesus was that somebody who is praying for us
I am glad that He took the time¡K
I am glad that He us on his mind
I am glad that got down on his bended knees and to pray us today.
If God is for us, who can be against us.
I am so glad Jesus Prayed¡K.
