Skip to main content

The Sift of Faith (Luke 22:31-34)

LUKE 22:31-34
31 And the Lord said,[3] "Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. 32But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren."
33 But he said to Him, "Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death."
34 Then He said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me."

INTRODUCTION
Judas agrees to betray Jesus, The Last Supper is over, Jesus talks about His death and about the coming Kingdom.

The Divine Caution – “That your faith may not fail”

1. The Gift of Faith (is both a fruit and a gift)
The fruit of the Spirit – What the Spirit produces in us, in character, through the Word
The gift of the Spirit – What the Spirit produces in us, in a specific situation, through the Word
Eph. 2:8, in both cases, is essentially, a gift of God.

2. The Sift of Faith (the trial of faith)
“Satan has asked” – Remember how he asked for Job…
The adversary, the enemy, the accuser of brethren seeks permission…
Jesus taught us to pray “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one”

“asked” – Gk. exaiteomai (ex-ai-teh'-om-ai) v. to demand (for trial) (Mickelson’s Dictionary)

The devil may tempt, but it is faith that overcomes by His blood and the Word of His testimony (Rev. 12:11)

Blood is the Ground
Makes us a possession of God (Redeems)
Separates us from the world unto God (Sanctifies)
Covers us from evil….

Testimony
What the Lord means to us
What the Lord has done for us
What the Lord is doing in us
What the Lord does with us

Sift = through a sieve or just by shaking the wheat to drop on ground in order to drive off the chaff in the air. Let’s use the example of a sieve which is most often used for sifting in fine particles
• Obstacles of Faith – How do you sift through a maze or forest of anti-faith while on your way to Canaan? You need sharp vision, agility, control, that comes from the indwelling Spirit – Walk in the Spirit (Gal.5:25) – You’ll never stumble when you walk in the light (1Jn.1)
• Purging of Faith – What things does this sifting of faith dismantle or rip off you? (Heb.12:1,2)
• Sorting of Faith – Use and exercise of faith enhances the faith faculty to discern between truth and error (Heb. 5: 14)
• Distinguishing of Faith – The faith that has been sifted comes out fine and pure

3. The Lift of Faith (the perseverance of faith)
“I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail”
Divine Interest – He has an interest in us He Wishes our Good (Don’t be like Jonah)
[All heaven is interested in the salvation of the individual]
Divine Intercession – He prays and intercedes for us … He Works for our Good
[All that can be done is done for our salvation]
Divine Injunction – to us – He Wants us to be Good (Strengthen your brothers)
[All that is required from us has been declared to us]

Conclusion
Two Dangers:
• Rifting – When the anchor is dislocated (Heb.2:1)
• Drifting – When we move out of His love and His truth – the result: shipwreck

SING
We will overcome..

© Domenic Marbaniang, February 15, 2010

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Poll Results: Are all Mission Fields Harvest Fields?

On Monday, April 30, I started a poll on the following question: Jesus said: "The fields are ripe for harvest... I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor." (Jn 4:35,38) DOES IT APPLY 2 NON-JUDEO LANDS AS WELL? They don't need preparation and sowing? Rather, they are as equally ripe for harvest as Judea-Samaria was because of previous labor by somebody (local indigenous religions and prophets!)? A total of 18 votes were cast with the following main results: YES = 9 I believe it wherever the gospel is preached and people respond. = 5 NO = 1 I'M NOT SURE = 0 One Scholar responded saying: "I think God's Spirit is at work with all people all the time through various way, and sundry ways as Hebrews says. hence they are ready for harvest... but the church is too slow to go." A Pastor responded saying: "I do believe that even in the remotest areas, the fields are alread...

Rocketing Prices Make Vegetables and Fruits a Luxury in India

Prices of agro-products soar higher in India, making fruits and vegetables almost a luxury. The Times of India reports: "The price of almost every vegetables except onion and potato has gone up to 25 to 30 per cent in the wholesale market and retail price staggering up to 45 to 50 per cent. A random market survey revealed an increase in the price of spinach to Rs 40-45 from Rs 10-15 kg a few days back. "The price of tomato has gone up to Rs 55-60 from Rs 40 a kg and capsicum to Rs 60-80 from Rs 40 per kg at the start of this month. The price of onion has gone up to Rs 20 from Rs 15-18 per kg but still remained steady in the market. "Variation between the wholesale prices and retail prices is staggering between 25%-30%." (Lucknow: July 17, 2009). Lauki (bottle gourd) went from being Rs. 7-10 per kg to Rs. 40 per kg. The price of lentils has shot up to Rs. 85 per kg from Rs. 40-45 per kg. The saying "dal bhat ab ameeron ka khana hei" (lentils and rice are n...

Three Divisions of Philosophical Theology

Also discussed as "God of the Rationalist or God of the Empiricists " at Philpapers.org Philosophical theology can be basically divided into three classes: Rationalist theology, Empirical theology, and Intermediate Theology. Rationalist Theology  includes isms such as monism (e.g. Parmenides and Zeno) and non-dualism (Advaitins of India) whose assertions are usually supported by arguments that rationally dismiss experience as false and irrational. This they do with reference to ultimate concepts such as unity, necessity, infinity, immutability, and transcendence (none of which can be predicated of the things of experience). Thus, God becomes the "wholly other" transcendent reality that can only be talked about  via negativa. Empirical Theology,  on the other hand, is quite the opposite of the previous. It actually brings religion down to the earth. The gods and goddesses are more human like, and earthly; and, of course, positively understandable in empirical categor...