Focus: Unfailing Faith

Text: Lk.22:32

"But I have prayed for thee, that thy FAITH FAIL NOT..."

Before Jesus prays for Peter, He says, "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat" - Lk.22:31.

Each time Satan comes at a Christian, he is coming against his faith. Peter and James, in their writings, talk about the trial of our faith. In Mark 4:17, we read that "affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake..." Apostle Peter says our faith is precious, that is, priceless. Jude describes our faith as "most holy." Relationship with God is only possible on the basis of faith.

Satan also comes against the word of God according to Mark 4:15. So you see that your faith and the word of God are real threats to Satan, and because he dreads them, he wants to do everything in his power to dislodge your faith and discredit or falsify the word of God in your life.

He wants to extinguish your faith by any means possible. He hates the guts and the invincibility your faith gives you, and that is why he attacks it on all sides.

It is also by faith that Satan is steadfastly resisted by the Christian and the Church.

Now let us get on with our text. Satan sees faith in the disciples and decides to do something to take it out of them. Jesus, then, calls Peter's attention to it, letting him know what Satan's plot is, which is to sift all of them as wheat. But He says to Peter, 'I have prayed for you in particular, so that your faith would not fail.' Why is it that their faith is going to be put on trial by the enemy and Jesus is praying for Peter alone? That is food for thought and a message for another time.

The word 'fail' in our text is ekleipo in Greek, and our English word eclipse is derived from it. Jesus prays for Peter's faith to survive a Satanic eclipse.

I know you might be going through stuff right now, and the attacks are coming from all sides. Satan wants your faith to be buried in the darkness of your own character flaws and faults and failings. But I tell you, our Master Jesus has gone before you to ensure you survive and also succeed in life. Your faith will not fail. Peter later talks of "receiving the end of your faith." He also says, "...hope to the end." Surely, your faith will get to its end. You will not fall by the wayside. Your faith has a destination and you will not stop short of it. The intercessory prayer of Jesus Christ preserved Peter, and I am certain that it will keep you from failure. Your ship of faith will neither sink nor will it be wrecked. Amen.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter