Wednesday, July 3, 2024
Our Greatest Intercessor
Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us. (Romans 8:34 NLT)
Sometimes we look at our lives and wonder why God would choose us. But here’s what we need to realize: God doesn’t just see us in our weakness; He sees us for what we can become.
We might see a lump of clay; God sees a beautiful vase. We might see a blank canvas; God sees a finished painting. Where we see problems, God sees solutions. Where we see failure, God sees potential. And where we see an end, God sees a new beginning.
Maybe you’re thinking, “Well, I’ve failed horribly in the past.” The good news is that God can forgive you and recommission you. We see that played out beautifully in Matthew 26.
In the upper room, Jesus had just revealed that one of the disciples would betray Him. They all began to ask Jesus, “Am I the one?” Then verse 25 tells us, “Judas, the one who would betray him, also asked, ‘Rabbi, am I the one?’ And Jesus told him, ‘You have said it’ ” (NLT).
Judas left, and then Jesus celebrated the Last Supper with His disciples. They broke the bread and drank the cup. And on the way to the Mount of Olives, Jesus dropped another revelation on them: “Tonight all of you will desert me. For the Scriptures say, ‘God will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered’ ” (verse 31 NLT).
The passage goes on to say that Peter declared to Jesus that He would never betray Him, and the other disciples said the same.
Luke’s account of these events adds a detail we don’t find in Matthew. Jesus went on to say, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers” (22:31-32 NLT).
Would that alarm you if Jesus said that to you? Imagine yourself sitting with Jesus, and then He turns to you and says, “Oh, by the way, the devil has been asking for you by name.”
“The devil? You mean like Lucifer himself?”
“Yeah. That’s right.”
You see, the devil is not the equal of God. God is omniscient—He knows everything. He is omnipresent and omnipotent—He is everywhere and is all-powerful. Satan knows some things. But he can only be in one place at one time, and his power is limited. But he still is a powerful spiritual being.
And for the devil himself to actually request someone is significant. Why would Satan ask for Peter? Maybe it was because he saw him as a threat. God isn’t the only one who recognizes leadership; Satan does too.
The good news is that Jesus was praying for Peter. And Jesus is praying for you too. Christ is in your corner. He is interceding for you. And because of that, you never will be separated from God. Without the prayers of Jesus, Peter wouldn’t have stood a chance. Nor would we.
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