“Simon, Simon, pay attention! Satan has demanded to have you all, to sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you, Simon that your faith may not fail. When you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” —Luke 22:31–32
These verses wonderfully demonstrate the sovereignty of God by presenting His omniscience (all-knowing) and omnipotence (all-powerful) character. As believers, we are kept by the all-knowing and all-powerful care of God! In these verses, we also see God’s boundaries on Satan.
Remember the disciple’s words spoken of Jesus?
“And the men were amazed and said, “What sort of person is this? Even the winds and the sea obey him!” —Matthew 8:27
Jesus is our faithful intercessor who sits at the right hand of God and lives to intercede for us.
The writer of Hebrews says:
“But he holds his priesthood permanently since he lives forever. So he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.” —Hebrews 7:24–25
As believers, we are not left to our own resources in our sufferings but are helped by the Holy Spirit. We are weak, yet Christ is our strength. After the suffering, we are able to brightly present the very presence of Jesus to a hurting world. When the dross has been skimmed off after the heat, bright gold shines forth. After our trials, we are better equipped to encourage and strengthen our brothers and sisters.
Become More
“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how we should pray, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes on behalf of the saints according to God’s will.” —Romans 8:26–27
Further Reflection
“May the Lord make us watchful against our own spirit, and against the evil one, especially when he is transformed into an angel of light, that it may not be in his power to sift us so as to gain an advantage over us, by our listening to his inward suggestions, or yielding to his subtle temptations.” —K. H. Von Bogatzky