Living with the Sifter
By Pastor Jim May
Luke 22:31-36
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.
33 And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.
34 And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.
35 And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing.
36 Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.
SIFT - To put (flour, for example) through a sieve or other straining device in order to separate the fine from the coarse particles. To apply by scattering with or as if with a sieve. To examine and sort carefully.
Illustration:
I can remember not too many years ago when we used an old hand operated flour sifter. It was a simple little contraption that consisted of a little tin can with a screen in the bottom and a crank that turned a wire against that screen. Flour wasn’t as fine in those days as it is now and it always needed sifting to get rid of the lumps.
The fine particles that made it through were used in the baking process but there was always some rock-hard pieces left over that were useless and were cast away.
Our lives are placed through a sifter. With each new day, the crank is turned and a few more of our rough edges disappear as the finer parts of our new man and the coarse parts of our sinful, fleshly nature are revealed so that these character flaws can be discarded.
Satan’s desire is to destroy those that love Jesus!
He is ever standing before the Father in heaven pointing his fingers of accusation against the Child of God, trying to prove that he has legal right to their immortal soul.
The Devil knows how to sift you. He knows what strings to pull to get your anger to rise. He knows what financial pressure will do for your blood pressure. He knows how to trigger your impatience. He knows how to “get under your skin” and get you all frustrated.
Revelation 12:10, "…for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night."
Jesus warning to Peter is the same to you and I today. Satan is trying to sift you, to destroy all that you are and to break your spirit, your heart, your family, and your faith in God.
Every time there is a problem with your kids, Satan is sifting.
Every time you can’t pay a bill even though you work hard and are financially responsible and trying do your best to keep up – Satan is sifting.
Every time you get angry for any reason – Satan is sifting.
Every time you have a temptation to do wrong – Satan is sifting.
Every time your faith is put to the test – Satan is sifting.
The sifting process never stops and it is very uncomfortable.
It’s never pleasant to realize that there is still some impatience within us, to see that there are lumps of anger that still exist, or that we have a lumpy, weak faith in God.
We have an Advocate with our Father!
1 John 2:1, "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:"
Luke 22:32, "But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren."
Jesus is not just any defense lawyer who stands in my defense. He holds the title deed to my soul and my life. I belong to Him and Satan can’t touch me without the permission of my owner.
What has Jesus done for me in order that He can stand in my defense?
Propitiation (our Sin-offering) - I John 2:2
And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
Redemption - 1 Corinthians 1:30
But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.
Righteous Judge - 2 Tim 4:8
Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
Righteous Servant - Isaiah 53:11
He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
Righteousness & Sanctification -1 Corinthians 1:30
But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
Witness - Rev 1:5
And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood
I’m so glad that Jesus is on my side in the battle for my soul. Though Satan tries to sift us and to destroy us, he can never accomplish his mission because of Jesus Christ.
The same command that Jesus gave to Peter is for us also.
Peter, when you make it through the sifter and Satan has done his worst, you are going to come out on top. Your faith will be tested, tried and even found weak but you are going to make it through victoriously. Not because of your own power or ability, but because Jesus is making intercession for you and Satan cannot go further than I will allow him to.
Then Peter, go and strengthen your fellow disciples because many of them aren’t as strong as you. Their faith will be weak also, they are going to run in fear, denying their knowledge of me and they are going to emerge from the events of my death on the cross with disillusioned hearts, doubts over the reality of my power, and doubts over their own actions.
Peter, your name may mean “rock”, but your name doesn’t matter. What matters is that you are founded upon a rock.
Psalms 40:2, "He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings."
Zechariah 4:6, " Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts."
Peter, and church member, you can’t overcome Satan on your own. But by the power of the Holy Ghost and through the Blood of the Lamb you can and you will overcome.
Your victory over the sifting process will become a great part of your testimony. You will be much stronger for having faced the process. Then you will be able to help your fellowman as they face that same sifting process to build their faith and let them know that they will make it too because of Jesus Christ.
Peter made a mistake. Don’t you make it too!
Luke 22:33-34, "And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death. And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me."
Peter was already being sifted while Jesus was cautioning and encouraging him. Satan had already begun to work on Peter’s heart, mind and attitude.
Peter’s pride in his own spirituality and in his physical strength was his downfall. Satan had already caused pride and a stubborn, self-reliant attitude arose within him.
Christian, please realize that you have no power to fight Satan within yourself. You are never going to be such a spiritual giant that you can overcome Satan on your own.
It’s still by the Spirit of the Lord that you will overcome and win any battle or come through the sifting process in victory.
All of us are being sifted right now and each of us has our own weak points that Satan knows about. He is trying to break you right now even while you listen to this message from God’s Word. Don’t let him win. Keep your faith in Jesus.
Jesus Gives the Church a Warning!
Luke 22:34-36, "And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me. And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing. Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one."
Jesus already knows that you are going to fail in some of the tests that come your way. He already knows that you are not strong enough to resist the sifting process, otherwise He would not have to pray and intercede for us.
Jesus knew Peter was going to deny Christ. He knew Peter would fail and He knows you and I just as well.
But Jesus also knows that the Father in Heaven will hear Jesus’ prayer and will not suffer you to fall.
John 10:28-30, "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one."
God will never fail you. He will bring you out victoriously. Jesus didn’t die on the Cross to purchase your salvation and then allow Satan to steal your eternal life.
Stay close to Jesus, make your heart a heart after God even as David did and God will see you through.
Jesus told His disciples to take their purse, their scrip and go “buy a sword”!
Why would He say to “buy a sword”?
During the earthly ministry of Jesus, his disciples had been carrying on the ministry in their own country and among the friendship of their own people. Even thought there were hard times and dangerous times, they had traveled as a group and while they walked with the Prince of Peace down the dusty roads of Israel they were supernaturally protected by Jesus.
Now, when Jesus was taken into Heaven, they would be ministering and preaching to strangers in foreign lands. Even though the Holy Spirit was with them, their faith in His keeping power would not be as strong as it was while Jesus was physically with them.
Now they would have to face hostile environment and minister in a sin darkened world. They would have to provide for more of their own personal needs and not depend so much on the world to provide for them. The world would not know them and would not give to them more than any other stranger.
Carrying a sword could mean several things. One thing is that the sword would simply be a weapon of defense against the attacks of robbers or wild animals.
I really believe that Jesus was telling you and I not to fight this battle against sin with natural weapons and rebellion, but with the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God.
Ephesians 6:11-17, "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. …sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:"
We should never attempt to fight this spiritual warfare or face sifting process without having the Word of God in our heart.
We often forget that we are fighting a spiritual warfare. When your troubles and sicknesses come, they are often linked in some fashion to this war we are fighting.
You are going through the sifter. God allows Satan to do a certain amount of sifting to help us see where our lumps are. God wants you to be like gold tried in the fire. You are a child of God and He will not allow you to fall but will make a way of escape from every trial and temptation.
When the sifting process is pressing down hard, and the grating away at your character is painful and it seems that you just can’t stand it any longer, just look up to Jesus and remember His promise to you.
Romans 8:28, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."
2 Peter 1:10-11, "Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."
There is the great promise!
You shall win. You can’t lose! Heaven is waiting, your mansion is built, and God has established your way and designed an eternal life for you.
One day soon, the sifting process will end. Satan will have done his worst but my Advocate, the Lord Jesus Christ, my elder brother and my God will win this battle for me. I have nothing to fear.
Heaven awaits – my Father is waiting for me there and Jesus himself will welcome me home.
Yes, Satan is sifting us now, but he will be utterly crushed and cast into hell forever.
When it seems that you can’t go another mile, that all of your efforts for the work of Christ are in vain and that you are going down for the last time. LOOK UP, For your redemption draws near and Jesus is coming to take us away!
The Battle is not mine – the battle is the Lords and He has never and will never lose a battle.
