TITLE: THE PRIVILEGE OF ATTACK
SCRIPTURE: ST. LUKE 22:31-32
I shared this challenging thought this past week with a few preacher friends of mine, and they did not know what to do with it. I felt the Holy Spirit deposit this thought in me on last Sunday afternoon, therefore; I have had ample time to pray and seek God’s guidance as to what He wants to say to us this morning. I must admit that at first glance, it appears to be a very challenging thought and a challenging Scripture Text as well. I have enjoyed dialoguing with other Preachers gaining their insight on this text.
Whenever we begin to feel as though our life has come under attack in the spiritual realm, I admit that it does not feel much like a PRIVILEGE. The very word suggests A RIGHT or ADVANTAGE PROVIDED TO ONE GROUP AND DENIED TO ANOTHER.
• What do we do when our Faith is Under Attack?
• How do we respond and how do we behave?
• How can it be considered a Privilege when under Spiritual Attack?
In this Scripture Text read in your hearing we find SIMILARITIES to one found in the OT book of JOB. Here in the NT, we could see that Peter is considered a faithful servant of God’s. He has followed Jesus in His ministry and he has been, and will be, faithful to God. JOB, was considered a righteous man in God’s sight, but, Satan EXPLAINS THAT AWAY - JOB 1:9-12 "DOES JOB FEAR GOD FOR NOTHING?" - “HAVE YOU NOT PLACED A HEDGE AROUND HIM AND HIS HOUSEHOLD AND EVERYTHING HE HAS?”
• You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land
• But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face
• The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger"
• I’m talking this morning about The Privilege of Attack
We find Jesus and the disciples leisurely walking and Jesus stops and looks at Simon Peter and makes a BOLD STATEMENT OF TRUTH. It was right before Jesus was going to suffer and die on the cross that He spoke to His lead apostle - Simon Peter, about his FAITH COMING UNDER ATTACK. If the Apostle Peter’s faith can come under attack then any of us can face such an assault. These words from the Lord offer STRATEGIC HELP when your faith comes under satanic attack. Jesus knows that Peter will falter, later on in this chapter he tells Peter as much, he tells him that he will deny Jesus three times before the rooster crows. But then Jesus, says something that you and I must take to heart, he says - BUT I HAVE PRAYED FOR YOU, SIMON, THAT YOUR FAITH DOES NOT FAIL.
I don’t know about you, but I am glad this morning to know that Jesus is aware of every attack on our faith, even before we are.
• You can’t possibly be going through something alone when He is aware of your circumstances
• God can’t possibly be uncaring if He is concerned enough to pay attention to the details of your life
• Jesus informed Simon Peter that the attack was coming
• Christ’s awareness of the attack on Simon’s faith was in vivid detail
• There isn’t a single detail of your testing that Jesus doesn’t already know about!
I thank God for every alter call that I have been a part of in my life. I thank God for the Praying Saints. I thank God for having PARENTS that have and still pray for me. I thank God for PRAYING GRANDMOTHERS – who spent time calling my name out to God. I thank God for those CHURCH MOTHERS from days gone by that took the time to pray for me - I thank God for my CHURCH FAMILY that lifts their Pastor in Prayer every now and then. Oh, but there is nothing like KNOWING THAT JESUS IS PRAYING FOR ME. Believe that’s a Prayer that I know will get through.
• Jesus said, Peter you will go through some things
• Jesus said, Peter it may appear that you will even let me down along the way
• Jesus said, Peter, you may even get caught up in sin
• But…..I Have Prayed For You
• Peter, in all that you go through – Just don’t lose your faith
• If you keep your faith, I can work with that
• In spite of your attack, if there is just Mustard Seed Faith left in you – you will be alright
• Yes, thank God for The Privilege of Attack
In the Old Testament Historical Records - Even in the midst of all that JOB had gone through – all the suffering he Endured - he remained a man of Faith even though his faith was under Assault by Satan. Like Simon Peter, Satan requested permission from God to launch an assault on Job’s faith. While Job was fighting through his battle he said this about God - JOB 31:4 “GOD SEES EVERYTHING I DO AND KNOWS EVERY STEP I TAKE.”
• Job was struggling but he knew that God was watching and caring
• Job shed some tears along the way, but he knew that God was watching and caring
• Job felt like he lost everything he had, but he knew that God was watching and caring
• God knows every Step you take
• God knows every Struggle you endure
• God knows every Difficulty you face
• God knows every Tear you shed
• I’m so glad that the Lord is still Praying for Us
Let’s run back to our text because there is some Tension here that we must deal with. Jesus approached Simon Peter, however; He did not approach that other disciple by the name of JUDAS. There is something significant about these two disciples. We are reminded through the Word that Judas Betrayed Jesus and Peter Denied Jesus.
• Now, Betrayal and Denial are both horrific
• But there is a difference between betrayal and denial
• Betrayal -- in the Greek in the context of Judas and Jesus means, “to give over treacherously; to turn against passionately”
• When Judas “betrayed” Jesus he did it with a kiss
• He did it with affection
• The question then begs to be asked, “When did he turn”?
• Isn’t it interesting to know that in the number of people that appear to be with you and affectionate towards you there will always be someone who can be sold out to turn you over
• Those that are the closest to us are the ones that are able to turn on us with a kiss
Jesus prayed for Peter but nowhere is it recorded where He did prayed for Judas. He prayed for one who would deny him. The Greek word for DENIAL -- “APARNEOMA” - means “to affirm that one has no connection.” Much different from Betrayal.
• Because of betrayal Judas was destroyed
• Through denial Peter ended up Broken, Better and Empowered
• Sometimes it takes being beaten, bruised and battered by our denial of the will of God that breaks us and ultimately makes us better for use in the hand of God through the experience
So Jesus approached Peter and they have a conversation that is quite serious in nature. Jesus sees something in Peter that he doesn’t see in the others.
• In Peter Jesus sees His Successor
• In Peter Jesus sees Greatness
• In Peter Jesus sees the first Bishop of the NT
• But there’s still some stuff in Peter that Jesus sees that needs to be dealt with
• There’s some False Pride
• There’s a little too much Ego
• If he is not careful Satan will Sift Him Just Like Wheat
Oftentimes when our Faith Comes Under Attack, we feel the Sifting of the adversary because we begin to be lead by our Emotions. The first thing we must do is – TRUST IN JESUS MORE THAN YOU TRUST IN YOUR EMOTIONS. Our faith in God should always precede our feelings. Faith first – Feelings Follow. That’s certainly not always easy and you often have to think about it because God has given us some pretty strong emotional abilities.
There’s not anything wrong with having or showing the right kinds of emotion. You just have to work at not letting satan use your emotions against you.
• You have to build yourself up with as many spiritual weapons as you can
• Things like worship and prayer
• Things like the Word of God, of course, and fellowship
• Things like ministry to others
• You have to follow your faith in God and His word
• Anytime your emotions don’t follow faith – then don’t follow your emotions
Whenever your Faith is Attacked, we must have the Spiritual Tools to COUNTER ATTACK the adversary. ISAIAH pointed us in the proper direction - ISAIAH 54:17 “NO WEAPON THAT IS FORMED AGAINST THEE SHALL PROSPER, AND EVERY TONGUE THAT SHALL RISE AGAINST THEE IN JUDGMENT THOU SHALT CONDEMN. THIS IS THE HERITAGE OF THE SERVANTS OF THE LORD, AND THEIR RIGHTEOUSNESS IS OF ME, SAITH THE LORD.”
Remember after Jesus had spoken to Peter. He said “AFTER YOU ARE CONVERTED, STRENGTHEN YOUR BROTHERS.” He knew that Peter was not as strong as He thought he was. Jesus was saying in essence, Peter, you have some more Spiritual Growing Up to Do. This is the problem with many today. Too many Christians think that they have already arrived.
• Hear saints talk about they are Shaking Hell Up
• Hear saints talk about they are giving the Devil a headache
• Hear saints talk about devil crosses the street when he sees them coming
• Hear saints talk about going to the enemies camp and taking their stuff back
Simon Peter thought the same thing. After hearing the warning from Jesus, Peter proclaims “LORD, I AM READY TO GO WITH THEE, BOTH INTO PRISON, AND TO DEATH.” We do know from Scripture that when Jesus had been arrested, Peter was one of the first to Run and Denied even knowing Jesus, not once, not twice, but Three Times! Devil was not afraid of Peter and certainly not afraid of any of us. He is only afraid of the Name and Power of Jesus who is the Christ!
• As Powerful in the Lord that we think we are
• God looks at us and says our Righteousness is just as Filthy Rags
• God looks at us and says the Righteous are Scarcely Saved
I read some years ago in the National Geograpic an article about the Portia Spider. The author, Robert Jackson detailed the various ways it deceives its prey.
• Sitting still, the spider looks like a piece of dried leaf or foliage until a meal walks by
• It will also crawl onto another spider’s web and tap the threads, mimicking the actions of a trapped insect
• When the host spider appears, the Portia devours it
• Deception is the Portia’s primary tool
• Satan is like the Portia spider in that deception is his primary weapon of choice
• One of his favorite ploys is to get you so sidetracked by your emotions that you are ready prey for his attack on your faith
The Privilege of Attack should also remind us - TAKE YOUR FOCUS OFF OF YOURSELF - I know this sounds strange, but when your Faith is Tested, we must remember that it is not about us at all. This is what Jesus would teach Peter during this conversation. The test of Simon Peter’s faith wasn’t all about him. IT WAS ABOUT WHAT HE COULD LEARN IN ORDER TO HELP OTHERS. The attacks on your faith are not all about you. That’s how our TESTIMONIES are developed.
Our Testimonies are not for us, they are for those that are listening. They begin to understand if God did it for you than that same God can deliver them. That’s why we must be careful when telling our story, because the Attack by the Adversary was not all about you. Now that you have been delivered just as Jesus told Peter – NOW THAT YOU ARE CONVERTED, STRENGTHEN YOUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN THE LORD. Tell them how you made it over.
• How you used to be Addicted
• How you used to be a Slave to Sin
• How you used to be an Alcoholic
• How you used to be Strung Out
• How you used to be Depressed
• How you used to be Abusive
• How you used to Steal
• But now that I am Converted
Converted simply means “TURNED AROUND” and refers to Peter’s REPENTANCE and RESTORATION to ministry There is no doubt that Peter was a courageous man, but he would fail just the same because of his self-confidence. Peter was – COCKY – BOASTFUL – OVER CONFIDENT. The beauty of this whole thing is that while Peter was dealing with his “denial” issues concerning his faithlessness to God, Jesus remains strong for Peter.
• Jesus would be the One who would be whipped, scourged and bruised for all of our iniquities
• The chastisement of our peace would fall upon Him
• It would be Jesus that would be nailed on a cross and suspended between heaven and hell between to thieves
• It was that Jesus took on the entire sin of the world on that cross
• Yet Jesus while going through all of this suffering just to have Peter deny that he knew Him three times
• Yet Jesus prayed for Peter. Jesus said, “ I know that you’re going to be weak, but I’ll Be Strong For You”
• I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren”
Jesus told Peter, you may not come out of this Attack with Flying Colors, but if you just keep the Faith you will come out of it. Once you come out and fully understand It was not All About You, you will have a Testimony for those around you. Go out now and Strengthen your Brothers and Sisters in the Lord. Simon, "Help your brothers be stronger when you come back to me." Take what you’ve learned and help others with that knowledge.
• Try not to complain about what you are going through when your faith comes under attack
• Try not to have a Pity Party when your Faith Comes Under Attack
• Try to think about how others need encouragement
• After you’ve gone through pain, physical or emotional, you will understand the needs of others who suffer
Sometimes our response to God is like the young guy who said to his girlfriend, "For you I would climb the highest mountain. I would swim the widest river and walk the hottest desert sands. But I can’t go out with you tonight because it’s raining." - If you serve God only when times are easy you haven’t matured in the faith. Are you going to continue serving God when your faith is under attack? You are mature enough to understand The Privilege of Attack.
--That’s why I praise Him! He so strong! One Friday he died on an old rugged cross for my sin. But He was so strong that death, hell and the grave couldn’t even hold Him
--Because early on that Beloved Resurrection Sunday He got up with all power in His hand!
--That’s why I get so much joy when I think about what He’s done for me
--When I’m going through my storms, my trials and my troubles, I can call Him up and then He shows up.
He’s my Bridge over troubled water.
He’s my Strong Tower.
He’s my All in All.
He’s Water when I’m Thirsty.
He’s Bread when I’m Hungry.
He’s so strong.
He’s got all power in His hand
Is there anybody here that knows that He’ll be strong for you?
Is there anybody here that knows that He’s able?
Is there anybody here that knows that Jesus is still Praying for you?
