He is Praying for you
“But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” Luke22:32
It is fitting that this verse came up today because just last week I was in a worship service where there was some time set aside in the service to just worship and press into the goodness of God. As I closed my eyes and prayed through part of a song, I had visions in my mind about times in my life that I wanted to forget ever happened. Two and then three different instances of predicaments I was in that could have gone very badly. Places with people where I should have never been. I tried to shake these thoughts because I was trying to put all my focus and attention on Him but they kept coming. Finally I said in my heart “Lord, I don’t know why these thoughts are coming now, but I lay them down and ask You to take them so I never have to visit these ghosts again.” But that’s when He showed me that those were the times He was interceding for me. He was protecting me. He was watching over me as His dear child so that no evil could get its hands on me. I had been disgusted and repulsed with myself for ever getting into these situations and never wanted to see or think about them again, but now it was beginning to make sense to me that He wasn’t showing me what I was doing wrong, He was showing me what He was doing in my life at the time. He was bringing me through times that could have ended up in injury, disaster or even fatality. I had no idea. I guess I always knew He was protecting me, but I never considered how things could have gone if He hadn’t been praying for me.
The passage today is such a good example that we can cling to even today. It wasn’t just for Peter and what He was going to do wrong, it is for us too, when we get off track. He is praying for us, even now in this time! In the reading, Jesus was talking to Peter. He told Peter that Satan was after Him and trying to run his life through the ringer. In fact, Jesus said he wanted to sift Peter like wheat, but then Jesus told Peter the good news that He had prayed for him that his faith would not fail. He told Peter what was about to happen, but He also gave Him instruction on what to do after he was restored. Of course Peter argued the possibility of ever denying Jesus, but Jesus told him after he returned to Him to strengthen the rest of the group.
Now, this is so precious to me. Jesus praying for His disciples. Maybe He prayed for the ministry and maybe He prayed about upcoming appointments? We just don’t know for sure about those prayers. I guess I always assumed when Jesus went away to pray, He was getting His next steps from God. I didn’t really consider that He was praying for His team. However, it makes perfect sense because Jesus came here for people, and He has and always will be all about people. So why wouldn’t He be praying for His team? Of course, He was. All the times He slipped away from the crowds, He wasn’t praying about what to do or what was coming up next, He was praying for the people and especially those closest to Him.
This is great news even for us today because He never stopped. He is still praying for people, His people. In fact, Romans 8:34 says Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. He is today, right now at the right hand of God our Father making intercession for us because of His great love for us. But He doesn’t stop there. The rest of the message is true for us today, also. He wants us to strengthen and pray for each other. He is praying for us to return to Him, stay close to Him and encourage others to do the same. We have an advocate in Heaven right now interceding for us to be strong and help others.
Today I want to encourage you to return to Him if you have fallen away or even stepped away from Him. Turn back and press in. He is praying for you and when you do come back, bring others with you. Strengthen and encourage those around you that may have slid away from Him also. Don’t let the enemy of your soul have his way by destroying your life and sifting you like wheat. Press into Him who is interceding on your behalf and run back to His loving arms today. We will never get things perfectly right, but we can depend on Him to be interceding for us to get us through our falls and to turn them around and make something good come from them.
Today’s scripture reading: Luke22:31-38
31 And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.
32 But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”
33 But he said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.”
34 Then He said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me.”
35 And He said to them, “When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?” So they said, “Nothing.”
36 Then He said to them, “But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.
37 For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me: ‘And He was numbered with the transgressors.’ For the things concerning Me have an end.”
38 So they said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.” And He said to them, “It is enough.”
The Daily Dose 