But I Have Prayed For Thee

INTRO: 1. ILL. C.S. Lewis was one of the greatest intellectuals to ever live. He was a Christian and a professor at Cambridge. His writings have led multitudes of thinkers to understand the brilliance of God and the christian faith. Once someone asked C.S. Lewis, "Why do the righteous suffer?" "Why not?"  he replied. "They're the only ones who can take it."

a. What is it about the child of God that makes him or her able to face with victory the challenges that life will inevitably bring our way.

b. I am so tired of this "new" gospel that equates hardship with sin... We are designed by God and equipped by God's power as "more than conquerors"

c. This book is full of examples and keys to living victoriously but this morning I want to focus on one often overlooked key.

2. This house is filled with people this morning who would bear witness to the fact that there were situations that they’d been through that they’d never had been able to face and handle if someone had not been praying for them.

a. Those in our lives we have confidence in their prayers and their relationship with God, scores of answered prayers in their lives.

b. We can never underestimate the power of prayer warriors in our life.

3. But on top of all their prayers, Jesus wants us to know what he told Simon Peter that day… “but, I have prayed for thee.”

a. No one can pray for you like Jesus is praying for you.

b. No one knows the details of your need like Jesus does.

c. No one can feel your pain like Jesus does.

c. No one can get in touch with the father like Jesus… at His right hand.

d. No one can have faith like Jesus.

4. As a child of God you don’t just have intercessors in your life… you have THE intercessor in your life.

Heb. 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

a. It’s a constant work… “he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”

b. A message that as believer’s we need to embrace more and more in a world where trouble seems overwhelming.

5. Notice the timing of Jesus in revealing this bad news to Simon Peter… it was after promising the disciples they would rule with Him on thrones over the twelve tribes of Israel.

a. Imagine the humiliation that must have struck the heart of Simon as he heard such a personal indictment.

b. How could he say I will deny him, after all I’ve done to prove my love?!

c. One thing is clear Simon would only hear part of the message Jesus had given him.

d. I believe that Simon Peter misses the most powerful message of this entire conversation… “But I have prayed for thee”

e. He had become their intercessor long before they knew it.

6. This revelation is past tense “I have prayed.”

a. Jesus has already confronted what you will have to face.

b. You will face the devil himself…But I have prayed for you.

c. You will face violence of being sifted by hell… But I have prayed for you.

d. You will even fail miserably… But I have prayed for you.

e. You will even refuse to believe what I’m saying… But I have prayed for you.

f. No matter where you’re at this morning, or what you’re facing this morning it’s time to hear the word of the Lord… “But I have prayed for you!”

g. His prays reach much farther than your current condition, He's already prayed for what you’re about to go through.

7. This morning I want us to discover what this passage reveals to us about the prayers Jesus prays for you.

I. WHAT JESUS KNEW WHEN HE PRAYED.

a. If our eyes could be opened to what’s ahead of us… we would surely pray more.

b. But, Praise God, there is one who looks ahead of me and he knows everything I need to know, and He’s already prayed the prayer of faith on my behalf.

c. Only Jesus could pray, like Jesus prays, because only Jesus knows what Jesus knows.

A. JESUS KNOWS THE DEVIL’S STRATEGY FOR US ALL.

1. The word “you” in verse 31 is a greek plural word meaning that he was saying to all of the disciples that the devil is out for their destruction.

2. Time to realize that the Devil has plans for you—plans of destruction and devastation.

3. If that was the end of the story, we would have no hope… “But I have prayed for thee.”

4. There’s nothing hidden from the mind of Christ, even the plans of Satan himself.