Peter and Satan

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Let's continue to talk about Jesus' last hours. In the last few weeks we've discussed His betrayal by Judas, His sharing the Last Supper with His disciples and His arrest in the garden.

This week let's think about Peter, and his famous denial of Christ that night.

Satan's Request

Jesus had said to him: "Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat." (Luke 22:31 NIV11) The picture of being sifted like wheat is a picture of being destroyed, essentially – being 'run through the mill' so that there's nothing left of you. According to Jesus Himself, Satan was the one who asked God to do this to Peter.

Now, many people today don't believe in Satan. Many Christians even are unsure about this, in our "rational" Western world, we are often laughed at or ridiculed for believing in things that others think we have 'progressed past'.

For some, the thought of a devil interfering in the world is silly and outdated. But remember the old saying: "The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist."

Maybe that's true. Maybe the greatest mistake we can make is to deny that there is an evil being called Satan who tries to sift followers of Christ like wheat.

If we take Jesus seriously, then we cannot deny the reality of Satan. Jesus spoke often of Satan, and even said that He saw Satan cast from heaven. Jesus would speak of Satan as 'the ruler of this world', and as 'the thief who comes to steal, kill and destroy'.

All Christians Are in a Battle With Satan

I think we're all a bit like Peter because we're all in a battle with Satan, our enemy.

If you look closely at this sentence, Jesus says "Satan has asked to sift ALL OF YOU". All the disciples. By extension, ALL future disciples of Christ would also deal with this: an enemy who is out to harm us by drawing us away from God.

Peter was in danger here of being pulled away by Satan, and friends… so are we! I'm not trying to spook you here. I'm trying to warn you of the enemy's wily, clever ways to pull you away from a close relationship with God.

Peter Speaks From Experience

Peter himself, later in his life, would write this to the early Christian believers: "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." (1 Peter 5:8 NIV11)

He knew this personally. Jesus told him this exact truth that night at the Last Supper. It just took Peter a while to understand it.

How Do We Deal With Satan?

I ask us today: does our faith look like an alert and sober awareness of the enemy's attacks?

Are we cognisant of the fact that we're in a war and Satan and his spirits are in pursuit of people to devour, to sift like wheat, to pull from God?

If so… are we resisting him with faith and worship?

Are we centring our lives on God so that the devil has no room to do what he wants?

Are we wearing the armour of God, that Paul talks of in Ephesians, which protects us from the fiery darts the enemy throws our way?

The war is on. Satan is prowling looking for someone to devour, to sift like wheat.

Let's learn from older Peter who was sober enough to resist him, rather than young Peter who was sifted in a moment of weakness.

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