Ways to Stay Faithful in a Sifting Season
By Dr. Marilyn S. Murphree
Jesus told Peter, “Satan has desired to sift you like wheat, but I pray that your faith does not fail.” Confidently Peter said, “Oh, don’t worry about me. I’ll be OK,” but Jesus said, “before the rooster crows you will deny me three times.” Jesus is saying, “Peter you mark my word, it will happen” but when you come back—not if—I want you to strengthen your brothers.” Jesus knew that Peter would fail, but he wouldn’t be down and out forever. He would be back and would have survived Satan’s sifting experience.
Have you ever been through a season so different you feared your faith might crumble? Sometimes we, like Peter, are overconfident and think we won’t fail, No way, but then we find ourselves flat on our face. Other times we are not confident at all and we say, ‘”I don’t know if my faith can survive this hit. Where is God in all this darkness?” We don’t have an answer. What are ways to stay faithful in a sifting season so that your faith won’t fail? Satan wants to agitate you by destroying your ability to trust God. We don’t have to stumble and fall but how can we survive the sifting of Satan?
Is there any way we can keep from letting Satan sift us and shred our faith and trust?
We must be aware of Satan’s subtle techniques to tear at our faith and shred it into segments. Scripture says, “Do not give the devil a foothold” (Ephesians 4:21). This is something within our power to control. The devil can only come as close as we let him. We need to “resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). He comes to steal, kill, and destroy. Don’t let him do it.
II Peter 1:10 says to make sure of some things and don’t leave them up to chance. “Therefore my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election for if you do these things you will never stumble.”
I Peter 3:17 tells us, “Therefore beloved since you already know these things, be on your guard so that you will not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall away from your secure standing.”
Satan wants to sift you and make you stumble and fall, but we have to be intentional and on guard against his wiles. We know that Satan is intent on stealing, killing and destroying our faith, but we don’t have to let it happen to us. There are ways to stay faithful in a sifting season. 1. Keep calm—Jesus told his disciples, ”because I leave with you my peace, I give unto you not as the world giveth give I unto you”(John 14:27).
There are many scriptures that speak about the peace that Jesus gives. If we can eliminate the agitation that Satan uses to shake us from our faith, we will be less likely to fall away from our faith. II Thessalonians says, “Now may the Lord himself give you peace at all times.” He is the one who brings peace to our hearts as we settle ourselves down and remain calm. Colossians 3;15 says, “The Lord give strength to his people, the Lord blesses his people with peace.
2. Keep Connected. One of the things Satan tries to do in the sifting process is to destroy your connection with other Christians who can help give a word of encouragement. Satan will keep you from going to church or Bible study sometimes over a rift with other people or for that matter quit going over the drop of a hat. Nothing much of anything. Just disconnect you from what will help lift you out of turbulent agitation of sifting. Don’t let it happen. Satan is out to get you. Peter was so sure that he wouldn’t fail but he did.”
3. Keep the goal in mind. What is the goal of our faith? Whatever we face, faith is the key to overcoming. Our goal is to look to him for a clear perspective for strength wisdom and comfort. Without faith it is impossible to please God. (Hebrews 11:6). Faith gives us the courage to resist Satan and tell him to go. This produces patience in us to reach our goal which is the salvation of our souls. This is the end result of our faith-we can reach the goal if we remain steady through the sifting season. Don’t let anything distract you from reaching the goal.
