31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; 32 but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” 33 But he said to Him, “Lord, with You I am ready to go both to prison and to death!” 34 And He said, “I say to you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know Me (cf.Lk.22:52-64).”

Luke 22:31-34 NASB

***This devotion will help you embrace Jesus in the midst of your duality between obedience and disobedience. You will identify the value of  faith, hope, love and purpose in the midst of your greatest disappointments. The personal Intercession of Jesus overcomes the inconsistencies of your choices and turns you around to go and help others.  This Gospel narrative can completely transform the way we view failure in ourselves and in others, how we conduct spiritual warfare and how we pray for others.

This intense exchange between Jesus, Peter and Satan is during the Passover meal in the Upper Room (around 9pm). The disciples were discussing who would betray Jesus (Luke 22:21-23) and who was “regarded as the greatest” among them (Luke 22:24-27). Sometime between Midnight-3am, in  the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus would be betrayed with a kiss by Judas, all the disciples would desert Him and he would be arrested. 

Lessons of The Great Reversal:

• “Simon, Simon”: We are tempted at our points of weakness. “Simon” is that part of us that is prideful, lustful, greedy, bitter, flimsy, fickle, cowardly, judgemental, angry,  etc.  If we are not careful and humble, The “Simon” in all of us, is the foothold that we can give to Satan to build a stronghold of resistance to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

• “Behold”: We need to “STOP” and listen carefully when Jesus is warning us about spiritual warfare and pending potential failure.  Listen carefully for the “whispers” of the Spirit, the “shouts of the Spirit” and “embrace the rod of correction” by the Holy Spirit. We can stop the maturing of sin in our lives by humble submission to God (James 4:4). 

• “Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat;”: In similiar fashion to ancient Job, Satan approaches Jesus and insists that Peter be given into his hands to cast like wheat and chaff before the gale winds of adversity.  This word for “has demanded permission” is only used here in the New Testament. Satan is requesting Jesus  to completely let go of Peter, allowing Satan full power over Peter.  

Click link below “Sift Wheat by Hand”: 

https://youtu.be/jleK4pHtQIw

Satan is limited and constrained at all times by the hand of God. Evil can only advance as far as the goodness of God allows. The Sovereign Good of God always checkmates evil. Rejoice in the victory of Jesus over sin, death and Satan.  Do good today in word and deed by the power and love of the Holy Spirit.
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Rom.12:21).

“You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him” (Acts 10:38)

• “But I have prayed”: “BUT” is the beginning of or the source of the Great Reversal! The intercessory ministry of Jesus will always prevail over the accusations, condemnation and weapons of Satan.  Focus on Jesus, the originator and consumator of your faith (Hebrews 12:1-3).  Jesus is our Advocate/Intercessor before the Father.  There is no higher authority or more influence than the intercession of Jesus on your behalf.  Satan’s authority, though rebellious, is derived from God. Our lives are always in the hand of God, no matter what! 

If you are praying for a rebellious child or grandchild or friend…pray they will “turn around” in repentance, their faith will not fail and they will discover immediate purpose to help others. DO NOT focus on the failure or the details of the struggle itself.

• “That your faith may not fail”: Jesus allows the testing of our faith to purify our character and prepare us for His purpose. Peter failed but his faith did not! 
  “Fail” means to cease, quit or fade into obscurity. Satan wants to steal the seed/wheat kernel of faith that produces fruit unto the glory of God.  Satan wants to steal our confidence, he wants us to give up.  The devil seeks to pin us down beneath the crushing weight of personal disappointment in ourselves or in others and self-pity and self-loathing. Jesus protects “the faith” in us to promote humility and grace.  Satan wants to destroy our faith to promote the ‘chaff’, the activities that will not produce any eternal treasure.  Our faith must be refined in the fire to remove the impurities of pride, self-reliance…”faith”, according to the older Peter, is THE MOST valuable possession we have! 1 Peter 1:7, “so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; “

Faith may be eclipsed for a season but not extinguished.  Faith is always God’s gift (Eph.2:8-9) based on His word about Jesus Christ (Rom.10:17).  Remember FAITH is the ‘inner persuasion of God” to trust Him and the whole of His proven character (Heb.11:6). Repentance shortens the season of ecliptic failure. Confession is the agreement that we are saved by grace not works.  Faith focuses exclusively on the free gift of  righteousness of Christ from God (2 Cor.5:20-21)

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, martyred German-Theologian-Pastor during the Third Reich, said in his writings, ” Falling away is far more serious than falling down. The most brilliant virtues of the apostates are as dark as the night compared with the darkest weaknesses of the faithful.” (Ethics)

• “When you have turned again, strengthen your brothers. ”: Godly sorrow with conviction of sin leads to repentance, recovery and restoration of ministry purpose…Peter heard the “cock” crow, locked eyes with Jesus and “went out and wept bitterly”.  On the other hand, Judas was filled with remorse and “went out and hung himself”. 

Jesus saw past the failure toward the results.  Prophetic Grace may see failure but provides repentance and redemption.  We can actually become more sufficient in God’s love to bring stability and strength to others!  Your best ministry can follow your worst moments!  We know we are being restored when we deeply desire to love as we have been loved by God.  Our eyes switch from excessive self-absorption to trying to figure out each day how we might be a source of strength to others.

• Lord, with You I am ready to go both to prison and to death!” 34 And He said, “I say to you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know Me”:  The “rooster” and  Satan did not have the final say in Peter’s life. The intercession of Jesus is the final word over our lives. Jesus switches from “Simon” to “Peter”, in fact, Peter would be imprisoned and be crucified upside down for the love of His Lord and friend Jesus!

Rooster Crowing Compilation Plus: Click Below Link…this is kind of funny!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3CenN7d30Y

May each of us rediscover the presence, purity, power and purpose of Jesus in the midst of the inconsistency and duplicity  of our lives. May we by His grace and truth be turned again toward Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength to make a difference in the lives of those around us!  Amen

What would you say to friends and family, knowing you would be arrested and put to death within 12 hours? Consider Jesus, the Last Adam…He warns about approaching trouble, scandal, offense, hatred and death. He points to those who influenced Him most…the person and work of the Father and the Holy Spirit. He points to the future,  promising immeasurable love, overflowing joy and deep peace in the midst of all hell breaking loose in the world. He assures his friends of absolute victory over sin, Satan and a hostile world…RESURRECTION is the predictable and unstoppable consequence of  voluntary obedient sacrificial love!

Under the night sky, The teachings of Jesus in the Gospel of John 14-17 were most likely delivered to the disciples during the Passover meal and/or enroute to the Garden of Gethsemane (John 14:31;18:1). He would have meandered through the streets of Jerusalem in the shadow of the Temple Mount area between around 9pm-midnight. He may have paused in a private corner of the temple court to deliver some of these eternal inexhaustible truths. He may have then exited Jerusalem at the southern Water Gate and followed the steep path outside the walls over the Kidron Valley to the Mount of Olives.

Six times Jesus repeats the phrase, “These things I have spoken to you”. Jesus, like Elijah, is weaving together a master tapestry, or a teaching-mantle to leave at the feet of the apostles to pick up, like Elisha, and call upon the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ in the difficult days that are upon them.  The Double-portion of the Spirit was promised and greater works would ensue following the necessity of the cross. 

 Contextually, Judas is absent, the Eleven are filled with sorrow, confusion is setting in like hypothermia, Jesus Himself is distressed. The Olive Press of Almighty God is beginning to crush the Son in accordance with His will and the impending cup of suffering.  Yet, Jesus is downloading the final words for His final moments before the hour of His crucifixion. The torches and the lanterns are about to be ignited and swords taken up by Jewish leaders, a brutal Roman cohort…all led by a satanic ambitious greedy friend who thought he needed to force the hand of Jesus to take control and assert His power and authority to throw off the Roman yoke of oppression. Judas,the friend, was thinking, a surprise military coup…the Ancient Foe was thinking death by crucifixion.

Suggested Devotional Exercise:

• Read each Chapter of John 14-16 Over the Next Week

• Go to each phrase “these things I have spoken to you” and meditate on the immediate verses surround each of the six repeated phrases

• Read aloud and meditate upon each Scripture and bullet point reflection

• Pray to Father in Jesus name whatever is on your heart

• Find someone to share these truths with and walk them through each of the six reflections

• Take Holy Communion together to “Remember Jesus”.

•  

• John 14:25
  25 “These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.

• Be assured Trouble is coming but you will not be abandoned.

• Help is on the way…the Father is for you!

• Truth will emerge as you merge with Jesus!

• You are smarter than you think…the Holy Spirit will not let you forget what matters most!

•  

• John 15:11
  These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.

• Joy from Jesus is both internal and external.  Joy springs forth from the indwelling Holy Spirit and floods our spirit, soul and body with Resurrection life in all the vicissitudes of life!  Joy flows deeply regardless of the weather!

• Joy is the awareness, recognition and reception of God’s grace in our lives…thus, we can “Rejoice always!”

• Loving obedience is the watershed that determines the nature of our Christian experience…No love, No Spirit, No obedience, No Joy…ouch, help us Jesus, have mercy on me a sinner…to grow in grace is to manifest the fruit of joy (2 Pet.3:15) in the experience of Jesus’ Personal Presence!

• John 16:1
  “These things I have spoken to you so that you may be kept from stumbling.2 They will make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God. 3 These things they will do because they have not known the Father or Me. 

• (16:1 )I have told you all these things, so that you should not be offended (taken unawares and falter, or be caused to stumble and fall away). [I told you to keep you from being scandalized and repelled.] Amplified Version

• The teaching of Jesus prepares us to handle rejection by the world for the sake of His name and the cause of the Gospel. 

• The sober realization of the inevitability of persecution , while following in the steps of Jesus, frees us from being perpetually trapped in the misguided effort to accommodate the world so they will recognize and accept Jesus as Lord and Savior on their term of self-preservation.

• John 16:4
  But these things I have spoken to you, so that when their hour comes, you may remember that I told you of them. These things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you. 5 “But now I am going to Him who sent Me; and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. 8 And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; 11 and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.

• The faithful words of Jesus couches the sorrow that fills our heart when we do not understand what is going on! (v6) Jesus anticipates our depression and proactively tells us the truth so  we can repent and move forward in freedom.

• When we internalize the teaching and promises of Jesus, we gain the advantage with the Holy Spirit who fights our battles for us to convince the world of their need for salvation in Jesus.

The angry mob tries to push Jesus over a cliff. (Luke 4:29)

• John 16:25
  “These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; an hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but will tell you plainly of the Father. 26 In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I will request of the Father on your behalf; 27 for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father. 28 I came forth from the Father and have come into the world; I am leaving the world again and going to the Father.”

• 29 His disciples *said, “Lo, now You are speaking plainly and are not using a figure of speech. 30 Now we know that You know all things, and have no need for anyone to question You; by this we believe that You came from God.” 31 Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? 32 Behold, an hour is coming, and has already come, for you to be scattered, each to his own home, and to leave Me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. 

• The language of Jesus, filling the heart and mind, is constantly pointing to the Father’s character with revelatory wisdom and revelation.

• The prophetic grace of Jesus’ words prepares us to deal with both failure and loneliness. Why?  So we don’t abandon all restraint in our isolation. Grace buys us time until He can rebuild our trust and be empowered by the Spirit to be His witnesses in this broken world of cold hate and unbelief.

• John 16:33
  These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

• Finally, the law of Jesus will turn pressure into peaceful access to the Father producing  character, hope and abundant love.

• Obedient students of Jesus run into the fray with courage and perpetual optimism born of the Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead. 

• The shout of the church to the world rings true with “God has reconciled you to Himself through Jesus Christ. Call upon Jesus and you will be saved!”

Father, we boldly come and humbly ask in the name of Jesus that you fill us with these words of Jesus. Burn them in our hearts and minds by the Holy Spirit to guide us through these dark and troubled days with love, peace and joy. We ask for the courage and the faith to follow in the footsteps of Your Beloved Son. May the World see our love and unity, opening their eyes to the Revelation of Jesus as Lord and Savior.  Amen

“See how great a love the Father has given us, that we would be called children of God; and in fact we are. For this reason the world does not know us: because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope set on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”

1 John 3:1-3

The First Advent of Jesus Christ was focused on the love of the Father, the hate of the world, sin, righteousness, the children of Light, the children of darkness, the pure Son of God and the devil (1 John 3:4-10).  The devil should be included in nativity scenes, lurking in the shadows of Bethlehem with the body of a dragon and the face of Herod.  In a jealous rage Herod slaughtered all male children 2 years old and younger.  This is right out of the playbook of Satan…genocide…whatever you can’t control and is a threat to your power and control ….steal, kill and destroy.  

However, I want to simply focus on the Second Advent and 1 John 3:1-3 to bring into our view the framework and focus of hope in the midst of our journey, spiritual warfare and adversity!  Check out the simple profound truths that are embedded in the rock of God’s word…

1. As children of God, we are currently being loved PERFECTLY by the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  No matter how difficult or disappointing your current relationship(s) may be…the simple truth is YOUR truest and deepest  needs are being considered, quantified and satisfied by the Spirit of God the Father (v1a).  

Rejoice and Receive His Love Now! 

2. The world is trying to build your ‘avatar’ through an algorithm.  Your likes, dislikes, shopping trends, reading habits…what we surf on the NET can become a NET and TURF that the devil uses to entangle us and crowd out pure and simple devotion to Jesus.  However, the truth is your new/divine nature from the nature of Jesus is not penetrable or knowable…it is this nature we must cultivate into mature love and godliness. God’s knowledge of you trumps the limited intelligence  the demonic or world may have on you!  The world underestimated Jesus and the very tool of crucifixion became the ultimate instrument of love, releasing forgiveness and reconciliation to the Father, the destruction of the devil,  the victory of the resurrection and the hope of His return. (v1b)

Submit to God, break out of the mold of the world, Resist the devil and he will flee! 

3.  The resurrection of Jesus is the best forecast of what you and your future looks like! Horoscopes, endless self-help/enhancement books, body modifications, pills, potions, oils etc., will never provide genuine confidence. The best version of yourself will only be realized at the resurrection. When our faith is replaced with the Epiphany of Jesus Christ at His Second Advent, we shall become in that moment similiar to Him.  We will be freed from evil, death, sickness and failure for all eternity!  This is your future. (v2)

Lift up your head, your Redemption draws near!

4. Hope in Jesus  is the most powerful moral, mental, emotional, physical and spiritual cleansing agent in the known universe!  Biblical Hope builds a Highway of Holiness to immediately access the resources of Heaven’s Throne of Grace and Mercy in time of need. Condemnation builds a mote around a castle of darkness and despair. Healing Hope is like the leukocytes (white blood cells) in our blood. WBC’s are the cells of the immune system that are involved in protecting the body against both infectious disease and foreign invaders. Hope attacks despair, disappointment, doubt, unhinged anger, strife, fear…the list could go on and on!  Have you ever said to yourself, “ When  I grow up I want to be like him/her?”  ‘Confident expectation’ built on the character of God and His word best defines hope.  As the beloved in Christ we don’t embrace ‘luck’ or ‘wishful thinking’ to navigate the disappointments or triumphs of life.  The hope of the child of God is an anchor that is fastened in the heavens, in the throne room of God Himself…and this anchor will hold fast in any raging storm!  We can grow up, change, and transition to a higher level and quality of living by EXCLUSIVELY putting our trust and hope in the Pure One! 

Are you dirty? Do you feel soiled by this world? Are you battle weary? Are you in a job above or below your pay grade?  Has love in and around you evaporated like a dried up reservoir?  Do you think nobody really ‘sees’  or ‘knows, you? 

Let us bow down on our knees, humble ourselves before the Father….Take courage and receive a fresh impartation of hope and love from the Spirit of God. You are perfectly loved, you belong to the family of God, you are known deeply, your potential will in truth be realized…your are pure as the white driven snow of Christmas and your future is filled with an ultimate transformation likened unto the resurrection of our coming Lord Jesus Christ.

“5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us…13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”  (Romans 5:5; 15:13)

Christ in you, the Hope of Glory

-The Apostle Paul

(Please Share with others who may need some hope and encouragement)

This expression, “Yet once more,” denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. (Hebrews 11:27)

Recent 2020 Earthquake in Turkey

The climate in current American politics is “unhinged”.  Since the advent of a Donald Trump Presidency  into Washington D.C. the word “unhinged” has dramatically increased in the current vocabulary of the day. Trump’s presence and leadership style has for whatever reason upset the status quo of Washington bureaucrats on both sides of the isle.

Unhinged, an adjective, is defined as “highly disturbed, unstable, or distraught”; the verb form of “ to unhinge” may be defined as either “to make unstable” or “to remove from the hinges.” (Miriam-Webster Dictionary).  

The earliest record (1643) we have of the use of “unhinged” flanks the tumultuous days of England that birthed the Puritian movement to flee to America and worship God in a new found freedom. Read carefully the 17th century English media comment on the political climate of the day:

Our sad Case is now such, That we have an Incensed God; an angry King; a threatening Councell; a heady Clergy; a divided Nobility; a discontented Gentry; a distempered People; a distracted Religion; an unhinged State … a defection from the Principles of sound Policy; a Parliament which should be the Redresse of all these, made quite otherwise, to us, by some that have abused it: and generally such a conspiracy; such a complying of ill Symptomes; that even Miracles must be wrought, or else we perish.

— Thomas Povey, The moderator expecting sudden peace, or certaine ruine, 1643

Our day is a similiar repeat of the unrest of our birth mother England.  The difference will be, “How will the church worldwide respond to the 21st century  instability of the USA?” 

We must accept the truth, regardless of who wins the Presidency or the majority in the Senate, the Constitution of the United States and the United States of America is “shakeable”, it will NOT endure, it will NOT stand…it will totter and tip over. On the other hand, the word of God and His Kingdom is firmly enduring forever. 

The Christian should not be surprised by the instability of governments. Consider… the conception of the nation of Israel occurred under a Pharaoh who favored Joseph and his family (Genesis 45:7-10).  Four-Hundred years later…The birth of the nation of Israel happened under a “Pharaoh who knew NOT Joseph” (Ex.1:8).  At the best times, the horse drawn chariots of world governments are escorting us to the Promise Land (Gen.50:9)….in the worst of times, they are hunting God’s people down like animals or criminals in the wilderness, on the streets and even in homes (Ex.14:9).

“Then the Egyptians chased after them with all the horses and chariotsof Pharaoh, his horsemen and his army, and they overtook them camping by the sea,“

In fact, our gratitude and confidence is built on the expectation that what can be shaken will be shaken.  Our gratitude becomes more focused and our worship is purified when things are falling apart around us! 

The Favor of men will come and go like the rain and sunshine. But God the Father’s favor found in the person of Jesus Christ and His Righteous Kingdom endures all seasons and forever…”to the praise of His glorious grace” (Eph.1:6). 

Those of us, who have come to accept the inevitable disappointment of the institutions of man, will be the most grateful and worshipful.

We must realize the fiery Presence of God will sweep away all the feeble efforts of human institutions to govern the huddled masses. The rejection of Judeo-Christian principles becomes the fuel that feeds our expectation for the ultimate victory of the kingdom of God in the earth through Jesus Christ the Lord of lords and King of kings.

Hebrews 12:25-29 See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven. 26 And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heaven.” 27 This expression, “Yet once more,” denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; 29 for our God is a consuming fire.

Thanksgiving Day is around the corner…be sure to discuss with family and friends what you are GRATEFUL for in this season!!

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