Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith..."
1 Peter 5:8-9 NLT
As I was thinking of Apostle Peter's caution to believers, I thought about Jesus' caution to Peter. They sound so similar.
"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."
Luke 22:31-32 ESV
He knew the same enemy that seeks to devour us sought to sift him. Peter spoke from a place of experience. In that way, it was a highly personal message. Peter learned that truth experientially, and he experienced grief with the lesson. (Luke 22:68 and John 21:17)
Peter, after being warned by Jesus, fell and failed. He denied even knowing Jesus. (Luke 22:54-62) Unlike Judas, he repented, confirmed his love for Christ (John 21:15-19), and became the rock the church was built on, a fisher of men. (Praise God that our frailties do no stop God's faithfulness, in His character or to His Word. Peter repented, and God prevailed!)
"Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it."
Matthew 16:18 NLT
"And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."
Matthew 4:18-19 KJV
Two things:
(1) What have you and I learned from our personal falls and failures?
God can transform the lessons we learned from painful experiences into powerful messages. He did it for Peter, and He can do it for us. (Acts 10:34 and Romans 8:28)
(2) Are we alert?
Jesus' prediction of Peter's denial, we can assume, did not stay on the forefront of Peter's mind. Maybe it was due to the chaos that ensued after Jesus was arrested. Maybe Peter actually believe there was no way he would deny Jesus and dismissed the warning. What we know is after the rooster crowed and Christ looked at him, "suddenly, the Lord’s words flashed through Peter’s mind." (Luke 22:61 NLT) Peter was able to tell us to "stay alert" knowing that there is price for distraction in spiritual warfare.
Thanks for allowing me to share with you.
Have a great Tuesday!
-LeKechia
