I don’t know if anyone has been in a situation where you felt threatened but one of two things comes out in response to a threat. You either back down or you “man-up”. You could back down from fear or you could back down because you know the consequences of winning could be much larger in the end. Maybe you don’t want to hurt the other person so you control yourself and take the low road. On the other hand you “man-up” because you are not going to let anyone take your territory that easily…whether you are scared or not. You are going to have to prove you can beat me! Which position do you think Satan takes?
Well if we consider a creature so bold that he would step to the living God in human form and try to tempt Him with stuff that he only has on loan from God…I think it’s safe to say, he’s going to make you prove you are who you say you are. Remember, we are not the only ones who read the end of the book. Our adversary also knows that in the end, we win so guess what? He’s got nothing to lose. Given this context, prayer for the community of artists who intend to spread the gospel message through their gift is critical. As a result of us sharing our gift, someone can get set free, encouraged, healed, taught, prophesied to and most importantly, they can come to know the Savior and miss hell. You can best believe the enemy is threatened by our gift!
The first thing we need to look at in this passage is “Simon, Simon“. Whenever something is repeated in scripture it’s meant to emphasize. When you were a child has your mom ever had to call you twice? Probably not often I imagine. There were repercussions and consequences at call number two. When your mom called you a second time, you suddenly realized the situation was serious. Maybe you were trying to finish your game but at call number two, the toys hit the floor and you were running! Jesus wanted to make sure he had Simon’s attention because this was serious business.
The next part of the passage yields the situation. “Satan (the one cast out of heaven and destined for the Lake of Fire) has asked for you.” He didn’t ask for James or John or any of the other disciples. He had Judas but he made a specific request for Simon Peter. Now we have the benefit of knowing what Peter accomplished but don’t be fooled. Satan is not omniscient or omnipresent; he had no idea of the specifics. He just had a hint that Peter was capable of delivering a blow to his plans. His potential was enough of a threat to motivate Satan’s attack.
He came before God to ask if he can sift Peter like wheat. I read an article called, “Growing and Harvesting Wheat by Hand” and this is the short version of what I found. First you get a bundle of wheat and spread it on a tarp laying on a soft surface like grass. Then you take a flail (think of a karate flick and picture a gigantic pair of nunchaku) and, to use the writers terms, “beat the daylights out it”. Now you have kernels of wheat mixed with straw. Next you get a webbed basket, place the wheat inside and shake it until the straw falls off. Wait, we’re not done because the chaff or dust is all over your wheat kernels. Now you go to a new cloth, spread the wheat out and throw it up in the air. Since the wheat kernels are heavier than the chaff, they fall to the ground and the chaff blows away. You have to throw the wheat up several times before the chaff is gone. Kind of gives new meaning to the concept “steal, kill and destroy”. Obviously after all of that the hope is that no energy is left to do anything for the kingdom.
The next sentence is the crux of the matter. Jesus doesn’t tell Simon that the answer was no, He says, “I prayed for you that your faith may not fail“. WHAT?!?! You mean you’re going to let him beat the daylights out of me, shake me and throw me up in the air…repeatedly? Yep. Can I be human for a minute…Dag Lord, why me? Some would say Peter’s arrogance opened him up for the enemy but I’d like to suggest that yes that may have been the case, but it doesn’t have to be the only application. Remember Job? According to the Lord’s report, “There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil“. Looking at chapters 1 & 2, I’d say he was sifted pretty well. Every trial is not just because you were in some kind of sin. Sometimes it’s God’s way of showing His Glory through you. In the sifting method there are wheat kernels that endure the process. Remember, “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed“.
The battle ground is for our faith. Our system of beliefs that tells us we can make it. The substance that is in us that hopes against hope. When we stop believing, we stop dreaming and when we stop dreaming, we stop creating for the kingdom. We’ll always create from our pain but our message will not be Christ centered if we are too beat down to seek Him. We’ll produce poison and venom instead of the healing balm that Jesus desires to use us for.
Finally Jesus says, “And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.“ Once we make it through a test or a trial we have a testimony that will encourage and strengthen others. Many times we share that testimony through our creativity. We can dance, draw, sing and write the victory in such a way to let someone else know they can make it too.
Gifted artists…be on notice that the enemy is constantly making plans to beat, shake and toss you. You could loose your job; your kids could go crazy or even your ministry could be rejected by someone you respect and trust in the Lord. All of these things are sifting efforts so that your foot slips and fear and guilt consumes you. We will not always get a warning when we have been selected for sifting, however, we can have confidence that prayer for each other will work regardless! How do we know? Well Jesus makes a declaration to Peter stating, “And when you turn back“…He doesn’t say “if you turn back”. He declared that Peter would turn back and he charged him to strengthen his brothers upon his return. Today, let’s make a commitment to lift our fellow artists in prayer knowing that when the sifting comes they will endure. Pray that the focus on their purpose would not be beaten, shaken and tossed out of them. Pray that like the wheat kernel, when the sifting is done, they would remain whole and God’s divine purpose would be achieved in their lives!
