“Yes!!! You Have A Purpose!!!”
Luke 22:31-32
31. And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
32. But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
JESUS is speaking here directly to Simon Peter in the presence of the other eleven apostles. Earlier in this same chapter, He had commanded Peter along with John to go and prepare the Passover meal so that they could all go and eat together. JESUS had given them a word of prophecy as to how everything would unfold in front of their eyes as soon as they were to enter into the city. After obeying His word and doing as He had commanded of them to do, JESUS and His twelve apostles went into this upper room to partake of the Feast of the Passover. While there, JESUS had also made some very interesting things known unto them. In verse 15, He lets them know that He had such an awesome yearning to eat this particular Passover with them! This did not mean that any other Passover that He had eaten with them was not important, but He greatly desired this particular one because it was going to be the Passover that preceded His suffering and tribulation for the benefit of all humanity past, present, and even to come after His death! He let them know that He was no longer going to be able to eat the Passover with them on this side until it be fulfilled in the Kingdom of GOD (v. 16). In the next four verses (17-20), He outlines not only the way food and drink should be treated but also what the bread and the fruit of the vine symbolized. However, in the midst of letting them know what everything symbolized, especially the cup after supper, He then throws them all totally off-guard! He had told them in verse 20 that His blood was going to be shed for them but follows it up in verse 21 by saying that out of this same twelve men listening to Him at the table that the hand of Him that betrayed Him was now also in His presence at that same table! He also testifies that it truly was destined for Him to die the way that He had already told them He would, but that still had no bearing on who would be Satan’s victim in order to get the process accomplished! In verse 3, Luke lets it be known that Satan entered into the heart of Judas and was able to use him to do his dirty work! However, what is not seen there is what must be pondered upon! How many other Apostles did Satan try to enter into the hearts of but to no avail? Whom else did Satan try to get to accomplish this devastating feat but to no avail? I Corinthians 10:13 clearly shows us that no temptation even comes our way but what has been offered to others as well! Therefore, we need to stop and take an account of how many times daily we turn our backs on GOD, sell out on Him, and betray Him for what the Devil may tempt us with and come to the realization that the very same temptation that we have failed was the same temptation that someone else may have passed meaning that it was not impossible to overcome! However, this led to not only the twelve wondering who was guilty but also some kind of way spawned a debate as to who was going to be esteemed as the greatest within their company! This is where JESUS begins to teach them what it actually means to be great and what prices and sacrifices have to be paid in order to be great! He also tells them what He has in store for them for being with Him throughout His temptations! This is where we want to get to because in the midst of all of that, He speaks to Peter in the midst of all of the other Apostles. Let us analyze what He says unto him:
He calls him by his name twice:
“Simon, Simon”
He then tells him to pay close attention:
“behold”
He then lets him know of who He speaks:
“Satan”
He then tells him what Satan wants:
“hath desired to have you”
He tells him why Satan wants him:
“that he may sift you as wheat”
However this is where we need to stop and thank GOD for every “but” He has set up on our behalf! The word “but” expresses the relationship between two things or ideas and sets them at a neutral and offsetting balance with each other. When the word “but” is used, it is clearly understood that there is a choice that ultimately needs to be made or a situation that totally relies on one side eventually overcoming the other! Just for the sake of consideration and adoration, some of the “but” verses we should not cease to thank GOD constantly for are:
Ge 50:20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; [but] God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as [it is] this day, to save much people alive.
De 8:3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every [word] that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.
Jos 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that [were] on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
1Sa 16:7 But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for [the LORD seeth] not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. {outward...: Heb. eyes}
2Ch 20:15 And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle [is] not yours, but God’s.
Ps 1:1-2 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. {ungodly: or, wicked} But his delight [is] in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
Ps 30:5 For his anger [endureth but] a moment; in his favour [is] life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy [cometh] in the morning. {his anger...: Heb. there is but a moment in his anger} {for a night: Heb. in the evening} {joy: Heb. singing}
Ps 34:10 The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good [thing].
Ps 118:17 I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.
Pr 31:30 Favour [is] deceitful, and beauty [is] vain: [but] a woman [that] feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.
Isa 53:5 But he [was] wounded for our transgressions, [he was] bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace [was] upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. {wounded: or, tormented} {stripes: Heb. bruise}
Jer 1:19 And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I [am] with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee.
Mt 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Mt 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Mt 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Mr 11:23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
Joh 1:12-13 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name: {power: or, the right, or, privilege} Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Joh 3:16-17 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Ro 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Ro 6:23 For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Ro 8:1 [There is] therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Ro 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Ro 12:21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
1Co 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
1Co 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God [is] faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear [it]. {common...: or, moderate}
2Co 4:8-9 [We are] troubled on every side, yet not distressed; [we are] perplexed, but not in despair; {in despair: or, altogether without help, or, means} Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
Eph 2:4-6 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) {by...: or, by whose grace} And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
Php 3:13-14 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but [this] one thing [I do], forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Php 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Heb 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without sin.
Heb 11:6 But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Jas 1:4 But let patience have [her] perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
1Pe 2:9-10 But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: {peculiar: or, purchased} {praises: or, virtues} Which in time past [were] not a people, but [are] now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
1Jo 2:16 For all that [is] in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
1Jo 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
1Jo 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
1Jo 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
Oh yes!!! We need to thank GOD for every “but” that He has breathed on our behalf! He is truly awesome to say the least! He has dealt with us when we were not even willing or thinking of dealing with Him! He has blessed us even though we have not blessed Him! He has loved us even at the time when we did not love Him and may have even hated Him! Yes, GOD is awesome!!!
Even in our text, JESUS gives a “but” on the behalf of Peter when He said, “But I have prayed for thee.” This in itself is very powerful to know that out of all the people that were praying for him and could have prayed for him that the Master Lamb of GOD also was praying for him! It is also important to note and learn from JESUS that we need to pray with a purpose! JESUS did not just pray for Peter in general, but He prayed “that thy faith fail not” because testing time was indeed coming for Peter and his purpose! However, even in the midst of the prayer JESUS informed Him about, He also defined to Peter an even clearer definition of His purpose for him when He told him “when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.” In the eyesight of GOD, your conversion is never an “if”, but is always looked upon as a “when”! Therefore, from these 2 verses of text we can gather 3 points of consideration, one point of appreciation, and one though of adoration!
Consideration
1. Someone wants you (v. 31)
2. Someone has prayed for you (v. 32a)
3. Someone needs you (v. 32b)
Appreciation
1. Someone died for you!
JESUS CHRIST
Adoration
“Thank GOD For His Purpose!!!” (Romans 8:28)
