“satan has desired to sift you as wheat…I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail.” -Luke 22:31-32
The only thing standing between us and satan is…the Intercession of Jesus, who said, “…I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail.”
The Power of Jesus
The Power of His Intercession
The Preeminence of Jesus
The Protection of Jesus
The Personal Care of Jesus
The point of attack ? Your reliance, trusting, faith in the Lord Jesus. Scripture tells us to “trust in the LORD with all of your heart and do not lean to your own understanding.” Trust in whom? Self? No, why not? Because self is not in control nor got the spiritual resources to meet the ultimate need which God alone can. To lean to our own understanding is a set up for spiritual calamity! It is like leaning on an imaginary rail that leads to the abyss! There is no stability. When we choose to lean or allow others to lead us to our own understanding as ultimate authority and decision maker, we are living as though there is no God, and if there is, He is either unable or uncaring concerning us and we “Feel” we must take things into our own hands, and as a result, stress, anxiety, despair, mixed with fleeting moments of relief sum up our lives. He commands us to trust in Him with all of our heart, why? He made you, loves you, died to redeem you and is wiser than all and has all the power to meet the need!{Read prov 3:5-6}.
As we choose to trust Him, as revealed in His Word and apply it, we are pleasing Him as it is the way of faith. Not “blind faith,” for we trust in a Person, the resurrected Lord Jesus Conqueror over satan, sin, death, We commit our ways to Him, the LORD, which speaks of Him as “Sovereign,” which speaks of His having all authority. He is all knowing, All powerful and loves us. He commit our ways under His authority as LORD in the matter and refuse to lean to our own foolish insufficient understanding and He will direct our paths. He in this testing is not out to destroy you but train you the way of faith in His faithfulness and to know Him better and glorify Him.
Jesus is praying for you now. And as my older friend Jim said to me,”Who else would you want praying for you!” Makes sense doesn’t it! All His prayers get answered!
Don’t fret, don’t choose to yield to thoughts of fear or the “what if’s” and the fears of the future which will sap the energy out of you now, choose instead to say, “Lord Jesus I am choosing to submit myself and these circumstances to You. I am trusting You to do as You see fit. I am committing my ways to You and thank You, that You will direct my paths. I do choose not to lean to my own understanding. You have told me this is what to do, so by faith I place the government upon Your shoulders for this matter, You have the authority and responsibility in the matter. Thank You, that through Peter I see the attack is on my faith in You, but with the attack comes the opportunity to please You and Glorify You as I choose to respond Your way. Thank You, You are PRAYING FOR ME.”
Be encouraged with these words. ” I HAVE PRAYED FOR YOU!” The One who has ALL AUTHORITY ever lives to intercede for you and ALL His prayers are answered!
” I have prayed for YOU !” Comforting words from the Creator of the World who sustains all by the Power of His Word and Conqueror of satan , sin the grave, and whom all of history culminates at His feet where “every knee shall now and tongue confess Jesus Christ is Lord.” He is Alive who says ” I have prayed for You !”