(31) And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:  (32) But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. ( Luke 2: 31-32 KJV)

Jesus was forewarning Peter of what was to come. Jesus had a plan for Peter’s life, but guess what? So did Satan. There are three plans out there for your life. The first plan is the plan that God has for your life. The second is the plan that you have for your life and third is the plan that Satan has for your life. This is one of my favorite scriptures in the bible. It serves as a reminder to me that no matter what the enemy may have planned for my life. It will never cancel out the plan that God has. However, it also shows me that this walk with God. Will come with many trials, tests and temptations. Satan desired to have Peter, because Peter had a calling on his life. Some of you have been under attack by the enemy. Not necessarily because of who you are, but because of the calling that has been placed on your life. Peter was one of the great apostles! His anointing was so powerful that people were healed if his shadow fell on them. That anointing did not come with out a price. Like Jesus told Peter Satan hath desired to have you. Here’s the thing about it. Satan desired to sift Peter. To try to kill the purpose and the calling that was on Peter’s life. Satan will never fully know the extent of the calling on your life. He does however, have a sense of the power of your calling. What I mean by that is he may not specifically know what God has called you to do. He does know that when you do however walk into it. That it will wreak havoc on his Kingdom. Your God-given calling. That purpose that God has placed in you from your mother’s womb. It was designed to tear Satan’s Kingdom to shreds! Peter was anointed for more than just healing those who had physical Illnesses. He was anointed to preach the gospel and to spread the good news! The miracles that he performed were signs that God was with him, but the true healings came from the gospel that he preached. Which was the reason why Satan had desired to sift Peter as wheat. The enemy does not care how many people are physically healed, but not spiritually whole. Satan wanted to stop Peter from spreading the gospel.

But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

This scripture gives us the courage that no matter what the enemy tries to throw our way. We have the confidence of Jesus backing us. Jesus told Peter But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not. He was telling Peter that there will be times when you will want to give up. There will be times when you will feel that it’s not even worth it. Where you may wonder if this is all in vain, but Jesus gave Peter the confidence that no matter what he came  up against Jesus had already made sure that Peter would overcome it. Simply by praying that he would. I absolutely love the next part of the verse. and when thou art converted strengthen thy brethren! The word convert means to cause to change in form, character, or function; Jesus was telling Peter when you are converted, when you reach that full potential of what you were created to be. Don’t forget to strengthen your brethren. Don’t forget to uphold them and to teach them about me. Don’t forget to spread the gospel. Peter had been walking with Jesus for three years now, yet there were still things in Peter that had to die. Peter was hot-tempered and quick to draw the sword (remember Malchus ear). He was also eager to please the Lord. It was that eagerness that made him one of the greatest Apostles. Sometimes we’re just like Peter. We have been walking with God for a while, yet there is still things in us that need to change. Often times we think that it’s those things which disqualifies us from being used by God. Remember that Peter was the same guy who denied Jesus three times. So when Jesus arose from the dead and he called for his disciples he specifically called Peter by his name. If he hadn’t Peter would have most likely have spent his whole life disqualifying himself from his calling. Peter reminds us that we can never disappoint God so much that he can’t use us for his glory!

Neither Pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; ( John 17: 20)

Many of you may be thinking. Well, I am not Peter. Jesus did not pray for me and then send me out to strengthen those around me.  Not so. In John 17 Jesus prayed for his disciples, but not only for his disciples. He prayed for those of us who came after them some thousands of years later. For those of you whose feeling as though the attacks of your life is too much. You don’t understand why the enemy is attacking you the way that he is. You don’t think that God has called to anything. So  you don’t understand why Satan is after you the way that he is? Sometimes the enemy will attack you, before you yourself realize that there is a calling on your life. He will try to get you to abort what you don’t even know your carrying. For years I suffered with major depression. I knew that it was spiritual, but I didn’t understand why I was being attacked the way that I was. It was so bad that I thought that God hated me. I read my bible but truthfully none of it made sense to me there was a spiritual fog over my mind. Satan planted images of suicide daily in my thoughts and it actually appeared more appealing then living. I had no idea that teaching the word was in me. Before I even got started Satan tried to kill that which was in me. By trying to get me to take myself off  the scene. I’m telling you this to encourage those under attack that it will get better. Your attack does not have to be depression. It could be anything that keeps you bound and oppressed. What you are going through is not in vain. I realize now that everything that I had to go through was designed so that I may strengthen my brother and sister. Truth is I may have never picked up a bible had I not been afflicted in the way that I was. In that time I had to be converted from thinking that God hated me. To knowing that he loves me.

Let God mold you and shape you. It’s in your trials that he is preparing you for what he has purposed for you to become. Peter was able to strengthen his brethren because of what he had been through. Had he would have not denied Jesus. He probably would have not had understanding when someone else failed. Part of the job of strengthening your brethren is encouraging them when they fall. I am an encourager because when I was depressed I needed encouraging. I implore you whatever it is that you were called to do. That you strengthen those around you as you walk in that calling. Remember to strengthen your brother!

God’s blessings,

Aqua.