Not Yet Who We Will Become

The sovereign plan of God to build a powerful and effective group of Apostles included failure.

Luke 22:31–34 ESV ““Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you,that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” Peter said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.” Jesus said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me.””

Jesus Predicts Our Failures

Satan demands from God the opportunity to sift all the disciples.  The evil one knows that some followers will fall, have their faith destroyed, and so be turned to chaff.  God grants him this opportunity, as He did with Job, even in regard to Peter, his prime target as the leader of the Apostles. 

Jesus decides it is best to inform them about this situation with the coming trial and failure.  But, Jesus also assures Peter that He will pray for him and that His power is stronger than Satan’s.  

Peter would deny that he even knew the Lord three times before morning.  His faith would falter under pressure, but not fail or give out completely.  Peter would return in repentance, and strengthen the others who also had faltered.

We Decry His Prophesy

Peter is taken aback by Jesus’ prediction of his failure, and rashly and boldly asserts the contrary.   It is Peter’s overconfidence that keeps him from watching out properly.  He is filled with good intentions even though he is not yet who he would become. 

Eventually, he would become as strong as he initially asserted.  He would go to prison and die a good death in the Lord.  We read about this in Acts 5 and 12; and according to tradition Peter’s boldness would lead to him being crucified upside down.

We Gain a Stronger Faith 

This passage is a warning and a promise to those in leadership, the specially targeted ones.  We must always be alert, knowing ourselves, not being overconfident about our faith.  And yet, it is through our temporary failures of faith that we come to know the true measure of our strength and our weakness.

Similar to Peter and the others, it is after returning that we find ourselves having been strengthened by the power Jesus promised.  We are ready to resist the next round and level of temptations as we move forward in the Mission.  Even more importantly, we have been strengthened to the point that are able to assist our brothers and sisters in recovering from their failures.

Be confident even in the midst of failure.  God’s power will rescue you and place you in an even better position.  Perhaps, this is the best way to fail, “for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)