Jesus Expects You To Succeed

Nov 5, 2020Written Devotionals

31”Simon, Simon (Peter), listen! Satan has asked excessively that [all of] you be given up to him [out of the power and keeping of God], that he might sift [all of] you like grain, 32But I have prayed especially for you [Peter], that your [own] faith may not fail; and when you yourself have turned again, strengthen and establish your brethren”.    Luke 22:31-32    Amplified Bible

We remember the passage where Jesus tells Peter, that Satan has demanded permission to sift him like wheat.  Many tend to get uncomfortable at the prospect of the enemy sifting us, but what gets lost in those verses, is the assurance that Jesus gave to Peter.  He assured Peter that He had already prayed for Him.  If the creator of all things prayed for you, then you have to realize there is no way you can lose, unless you simply yield yourself through disbelief.  This was a Word invested into Peter that He could have held onto and stood on for his total victory without compromise.  It is the Word of Jesus and it cannot fail.  Peter may have faltered but he did not fail.  We see his overcoming victory in Christ throughout the book of Acts. 

Now let’s look at the gospel of John, where Jesus is praying for the church, which includes you and me today.  Chapter 17:20 says:

“Neither for these alone do I pray [it is not for their sake only that I make this request], but also for all those who will ever come to believe in (trust in, cling to, rely on) Me through their word and teaching,”      Amplified Bible

Jesus is telling us that all of these promises that He is speaking of are for today.  Everything that He prayed in chapters 16 and 17 is still for us even today!  That is amazing to think about.  It is for us when we will “rely on, cling to and trust in Him”.  It is no different than it was for Peter.  Jesus gave him a Word that Peter could hold onto.  If Jesus prayed for him then certainly he would overcome and be victorious.  Certainly then God would be glorified.  Well, every one of the promises that are made by Jesus when He prayed in these chapters is the Word that He has invested in us and given to us to hold onto and stand on to victory in whatever we face.  

Jesus expected Peter to turn back to Him and walk in the victory He had provided for Peter.  You see it in His Words to Peter in Luke above, “when you yourself have turned again…”  He expected Peter to succeed because of the Word He invested in him and today nothing has changed. Jesus expects us to succeed because of the Word that He has invested in us.  The only thing that hinders us is if we choose to believe the circumstances rather than the promises of His Word.   

J Todd Hostetler

www.cityonahillTC.org

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