Jump Start # 1596

Luke 22:32 “But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”

  The subject of prayer is a complex and powerful resource in our spiritual walk with the Lord. Strong Christians are praying Christians. They may not be free from trouble, but they pray during that trouble. They may not know the next step, but they are praying for help in making the right decision in the next step. There is a statement in Romans 8:26 that sums up how most of us feel about prayer. There the text says, “…for we do not know how to pray as we should.” Boy, that’s the truth! We don’t pray as often as we should. We don’t pray through troubles as we should. We allow fear and worry to take over rather than praying.

Paul asked the Thessalonians, “Pray for us.” One of the best things you can do is pray for others. Everyone needs prayers. A person could take the church directory, and starting at the front, flip through every page and say a prayer about every family. We all need prayers.

Our verse today shows the Lord praying for Peter. He had told Peter that Satan wanted permission to sift him like wheat. That statement indicates that Satan did not have free run to do whatever he wanted. Like in the book of Job, Satan had to get permission from God to do things. He is not God’s equal. He is not running wild, out of control. He is bound. He is limited. He must get permission.

Sifting like wheat seems violent. It gives me the impression of walking off a roller coaster. Your head and stomach are spinning in opposite directions and you are feeling a bit woozy. Shaken. Peter would be shaken  not by tough Roman soldiers who pointed swords at his neck, but by the voice of a servant girl who claimed you are one of them. Peter couldn’t shake that charge. He denied it. Before he realized it, he had denied the Lord three times. That was his shaking. That was the intense fire he was going through.

In our verse, Jesus is telling Peter what is going to happen before it happens. He tells Peter that He will be praying for him. He will be praying that his faith does not fail. He prays that he again will strengthen his brothers.

Three thoughts come from this passage.

First, Jesus prayed for Peter. He knew Peter was going to deny Him, yet He prayed. We need to pray for others. We need to pray for our preachers and our shepherds that they will courageously and faithfully continue to do what is right and Biblical. Pleasing people doesn’t always please the Lord. What the crowd wants isn’t always what the crowd needs. Some like their ears ticked. Some like a pat on the back. Some what to feel good. What we often need is to be challenged, moved and brought closer to the Lord.

We need to pray for our college kids who are away from home. Schools are wrapping up now and we need to pray for their spiritual safety. Many have sat through semesters of liberal propaganda that is unproven and untrue and more concerning, unbiblical. We need to pray that their faith does not fail. Many have see things that they have never witnessed before. Sheltered in their nice safe homes, they were kept safe. Now, after a year in college dorms they have witnessed every rule in the Bible being violated. They have seen the consequences of drunkenness and fornication. They have seen stupid behavior and careless pranks that have hurt, injured and ruined others. They are coming home. We pray that their faith has not failed. We pray that they still long for Heaven and have a deep desire to please and walk with the Lord. Pray for them.

Second, Jesus was praying for Peter’s spiritual wellbeing. He prayed that Peter’s faith would not fail. Greater than the recovery from a surgery is the recovery of the soul. We must pray for that. We must pray for people to be strong spiritually. The body won’t last, but the soul does. Praying for jobs, health, and safe travels are all good but not as good as praying for the soul. Jesus prayed for Peter’s faith. The Lord didn’t put a safety net around Peter. The Lord didn’t arrange it so Peter wouldn’t be harmed. It was up to Peter. The Lord was praying, but Peter had to make the choices.

Third, the Lord told Peter that He was praying for him. This is important. There are many who pray for others, but they never know that. It is comforting and humbling to know that others are taking your name to Heaven’s gate. That’s encouraging. It tells us that others are thinking about us. It tells us that others think we are worth praying for. It helps a person make the right choices when he knows that others are counting on him.

So, pray for others. Pray often for others. Let them know that you are praying for them. Peter was going to let the Lord down. But he would return. The Lord would use him again. The Lord prayed that he would strengthen his brothers. The Lord didn’t give up on Peter. The Lord didn’t write Peter off. The Lord gave Peter a second chance. The Lord was praying.

I wonder if the Lord prays for us? If He does, I wonder what He would be praying about us? The Lord counts upon us as He did others. The Lord needs you to help your family, encourage other believers, and to share the gospel message with others.

“I’ll be praying for you…” what a great statement that is. When someone asks you, “Will you pray for me?” and you agree, be sure that you do that. The Lord prayed for Peter. Who are you going to be praying for today?

Praying for others is just one way that we show that we love. We pray because we care. We pray because we want the best for them.

I’ll be praying for you… what a thought!

Roger