“Being Sifted Like Wheat?” by Dr. Lisa VanSandt
BEING SIFTED LIKE WHEAT?
“And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you; that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” —Luke 22:31, 32
Nobody in their right mind would like to be sifted like wheat….BUT sifting is necessary for purity, wholesomeness, decency and integrity. WE all have excess baggage that needs to be sorted and done away with. Sifted actually means to be examined and filtered…..So Satan was examining Peter…sizing him up so to speak to see if he could take him out permanently.
We never really know who we are until we are upfront and face to face with the enemy…just as Peter was when he denied Jesus. Peter had spent three and a half years under the leadership and teachings of Jesus. He knew him intimately; he saw the miracles He performed. They shared life together on a daily basis and yet, when faced with adversity, he denied that he even knew the Messiah. Not once, not twice but three times Simon Peter renounced his Rabbi, his Leader, the ultimate Savior of the world. Though the Holy Spirit had not yet come, Peter, along with the other of the disciples, had been given a measure of faith.
The point is this: Jesus didn’t pray that Satan wouldn’t sift Peter. He didn’t even pray that Peter would be delivered from the sifting or delivered from Satan. Jesus prayed that Peter’s faith in HIM would not fail. After Peter denied Jesus, it looked as though his faith had ultimately failed. On the contrary, Peter’s faith grew in the midst of turmoil, in the midst of what truly looked like the end of the Messiah.
After Jesus’ resurrection, certain women went to the tomb finding it empty. When they returned to tell the disciples, the Word says in Luke 24, “their words seem to be as idle tales and they did not believe them……..BUT PETER arose and ran to the tomb….” Does running to an empty tomb look like failure in faith? Peter had seen enough with his own eyes to know that what Jesus had spoken would come to pass. Peter knew that Jesus was truly LORD OVER DEATH, HELL AND THE GRAVE. And when the day of Pentecost had fully come Peter, along with many others who BELIEVED, was endued with the power of the Holy Ghost and turned the world upside down for the glory of the Most High GOD!
So, when you feel as though you are being sifted like wheat, examined and sizing up for the kill, run to the risen LORD. He will sustain and strengthen you and in turn, you can strengthen those around you.
HE IS MORE THAN ABLE…..
About the Author: Dr. Lisa VanSandt
Lisa has a doctorate in ministry from International College of Ministry and is currently working on a PhD in Christian Counseling. She and her husband, Forrest, serve as elders of Liberty Church in Arab and are also Campus directors of International College of Ministry. One of Lisa’s passion is digging deep into the word of God and writing about JESUS –the Author and Finisher of our faith—and His transforming power! Forrest and Lisa have 3 sons, 3 daughters-in-law and 6 grandchildren –which are her passions as well!
One Comment
Thank-you!!
This Bama missionary in Kenya, needed this today!!