“Simon, Satan has asked to have you, to sift you like wheat.”
Lk 22:31 TLB
Out of all Christ’s disciples, Peter was the one who believed that failure couldn’t happen to him. But it did, and in a big way. Jesus told him, “Satan has asked to have you, to sift you like wheat, but I have pleaded in prayer for you that your faith should not completely fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen and build up the faith of your brothers” (vv. 31-32 TLB). Notice three important truths: (1) We are all capable of falling. Don’t believe the lie that says, “If you were really a Christian, you wouldn’t have failed like that.” When God saves you, your spirit is immediately changed. But until your emotions, appetites, and desires come under the control of Christ you’ll always struggle in certain areas. This has nothing to do with your salvation, and everything to do with becoming spiritually mature. (2) We must be willing to repent. The trouble with temptation is that it usually starts out as pleasure. You think you can handle it, and when you become ensnared you try to overcome it in your own strength. But it doesn’t work. The Bible says, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (Jas 4:6 NKJV). God’s grace isn’t for the arrogant. It’s only given to humble, repentant hearts. (3) Once we are free, we stay free by helping others. God takes us out of a bad situation to place us in a good one; otherwise we’ll seek out our old connections. So the way to keep what we have is, give it to others.
