Strength in Trials: Jesus' Intercession and Our Growth

Peter was also a man of courage and strength he was one who was willing to step out in faith when the disciples were in the ship and the storm was tossing the ship about and they weren't really getting anywhere trying to row Against the Wind when Jesus came walking to them on the water and they were terrified thinking that perhaps it was a ghost and when Jesus said don't be afraid it's I and Peter said Lord if it's you B me come to you and Jesus said come on and it was Peter who had the faith and all to step out of the boat and to head for Jesus. [00:07:47]

Jesus said he's desired you Peter he wants to sift you like wheat with all of Peter's strong points he did seem to lack refinement he was rugged he was rough he was coarse as a fisherman these were just characteristics and traits of Peter when Jesus began to talk to the disciples about his death Peter began to rebuke Jesus saying Lord be that far from thee When Jesus washed the feets the disciples feet when he came to Peter Peter said you'll never wash my feet and Jesus said if I don't wash your feet then you're none of mine and Peter said well then give me a bath and Jesus said no Peter you don't understand just you know washing your feet is enough I'm getting a message across to you but it it was unrefined he was it was it was rough. [00:09:40]

The comforting words of Jesus to Peter were I've prayed for you what was his prayer for Peter that your faith fail thee not now he did not pray that Satan would not be allowed to sift him this is probably what I would have prayed Lord keep him out of the SI Lord don't let him go through any problems Lord just make it lovely and easy for him don't put him through the test don't put him through the trial don't let him know pain or suffering Lord guard him from these things you see I would have kept Peter from the growth that comes through experiencing difficulty. [00:12:40]

We so often are praying Lord keep us from Satan's sin Lord don't let us experience hardship or pain spare me Lord from suffering and thus are often kept in a state of spiritual infancy because growth only comes in the hard places of life and so Jesus was wise and careful he wasn't praying father don't let him go through trouble don't let him experience defeat and sorrow but Lord don't let him lose his faith that your faith would not fail. [00:13:57]

Satan so often attacks us at the place of our greatest personal strength strength we would think that Satan would attack us in our places of weakness oh he knows your weakness and that's no he knows your strengths and that's where he usually attacks Peter was courageous he said Lord I'm ready to die with you and he was he he drew the sword and began to swing away until Jesus said put the sword away Peter I mean he was ready this is it all right well go down with you Lord he was a man of Courage why is it that Satan would attack us in our places of greatest strength it is because we know that we have strength in this area so often we feel well I don't need the Lord's help here I'm able to manage this. [00:22:50]

The Lord lets Satan put you through the sifter in order that you might experience your weakness so that you know that you're going to have to trust in the Lord It's to keep you from trusting in yourself that he allows Satan to take you through and attack you in that place of strength you see the place where I know I'm weak when I see Satan coming I say oh Lord help me Lord oh I can't handle this Lord and and he helps me because I I'm not trusting in myself I know oh man I've at it no look what's and and I'm relying now upon the Lord and thus I experience his his strength and his help and his Deliverance but it's in those places of my strengths that I have problems because I'm not relying fully on the Lord but I'm trusting in my ability and that which I can do. [00:24:26]

Another purpose that the Lord often has in allowing Satan to sift us is that we then might have empathy with those who are going through heavy trials we come to another understanding of what it's all about I know the feeling that you have I know the grief that you're experiencing I know the sorrow you're going through I went through the very same thing it gives me empathy it gives me understanding it gives me compassion that I could not have had I not gone through the experience myself. [00:30:08]

In Hebrews we are told that Jesus himself suffered being tempted so that he might assist those who are going through Temptation in chapter 4: 15 of Hebrews for we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our weaknesses but was in all points tempted like as we are and yet without sin Let Us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace why because he understands he knows what it's all about he went through it too and thus we can come because he is merciful he knows what you're going through he is gracious and I can come to the throne of grace and find Mercy because my high priest knows what I'm going through he experienced too the pressures of temp ation and he knows my frame that I'm only dust and he knows what it is to be put through Satan's Civ because he certainly was. [00:31:03]

Paul when he wrote to the Corinthians that second letter he said blessed be God in the father of our Lord Jesus Christ the father of mercies and of all comfort who comforts us in our tribulation that we might be able to comfort those who are in trouble by the same Comfort wherewith we ourselves have been comforted of God for as the sufferings of Christ abound in us so also the consolation abounds by Christ and whether we were Afflicted it's for your comfort and salvation which is the effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer or whether we be comforted it's for your consolation and salvation. [00:31:39]

So Paul said I went through these things the Lord allowed me to experience these things in order that in these trials in these difficulties I might experience also how God can Comfort how God God can strengthen how God can help and thus I can relate to you not only in the tribulation the trouble that you're having but I can relate to you how that when I went through that God was there to minister to me God was there to comfort me God was there to help me so you see Peter you're going to go through Satan's sifting it's necessary that you have this experience of failure Peter if you didn't have this experience of failure you wouldn't understand the failure of others instead of being sympathetic you'd be harsh you'd be criticizing you'd be condemning so Satan's desired you he's going to sift you like wheat you're going to deny me you're going to fail but I'm praying for you Peter when you come through you're going to come through your faith isn't going to fail and when you come through then use your experience to strengthen and help your brothers. [00:33:43]

We like Peter may be defeated in a few of the battles along our way but the ultimate Victory belongs to Jesus who is praying for us that our faith will not fail and when we come through in his strength and find the forgiveness and the compassion and the tenderness and the love and the understanding then I in turn can be understanding and compassionate towards those who are going through the same issues God has a purpose even for our failure. [00:36:07]

Surely his grace can keep us from falling we might stumble but Jesus is praying that your faith will not fail he wants to bring you through and so may the Lord be with you and bless you and strengthen you and in that time when because of failure Satan is attacking so heavily putting you through the siiv may you find his grace is sufficient for you and that his strength will be made perfect in your weakness so that you will come come not to depend upon yourself but upon Him always in all things that we might learn to rejoice in him and to glory in him and in what he has done for us rather than trying to boast in what I have done for him. [00:40:51]