Siftings of Satan Luke 22:31-38: How to Emerge Stronger is about the trials and temptations that believers may face, as illustrated in Luke 22:31-38. Jesus warned Simon Peter that Satan had asked to “sift him as wheat,” indicating that even devoted followers are not immune to spiritual challenges. These siftings serve a purpose: to separate the “husks” or impurities from one’s faith, ultimately strengthening it. Jesus assured Peter that He had prayed for him, demonstrating His compassion and foreknowledge of our struggles. Believers are encouraged to be prepared for spiritual warfare, equipped with the “sword of the Spirit” and the Word of God. Through these trials, one’s faith can be refined and deepened.
This sermon answers several important questions about spiritual trials and temptations. Here are 5 unique questions addressed by the sermon:
- What does Jesus mean by Satan “sifting” believers?
- How can pride make us more vulnerable to spiritual attacks?
- Why does Jesus call Peter “Simon” multiple times in this passage?
- Does Satan need permission to test believers?
- What are the “two swords” Jesus refers to, and how do they relate to spiritual warfare?
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE CHAPTER 22
By Pastor Delbert Young
Siftings of Satan Luke 22:31-38: How to Emerge Stronger
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Siftings of Satan Luke 22:31-38: How to Emerge Stronger
Scriptures: Luke 22:28-30, Luke 22:31-34, Matthew 26:31-35, 1 Corinthians 10:12, Proverbs 16:18, Job 1:12, Job 2:6, Job 42:5, Luke 22:35-37, Luke 22:38,
Would you raise your hand if you’re perfect and never messed up so badly and did something so dumb you’ll likely regret it for the rest of your life? Great! We’re safe. Only we mess-ups are here today. No perfect people are here, so we can talk freely.
In our study, Jesus was experiencing the last Passover and first Communion, knowing before the next sundown, he would be arrested, tried, crucified, and buried. He thanked the eleven disciples for standing with him and said this.
Luke 22:28-30 You are those who have stood by me in my trials. And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Thrones! Great! They were feeling pretty good about themselves. They were at the top. Actually, they were special.
1. What does Jesus mean by Satan “sifting” believers?
Siftings of Satan Luke 22:31-38: How to Emerge Stronger
Then Jesus looked at the mess-up specialist, Simon Peter, and said,
Luke 22:31-34 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.” Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny THREE TIMES that you know me.”
Notice Jesus called him Simon three times and then ended by calling him Peter. The point is that no one is immune to the siftings of Satan, but I noted something else. There seem times when we “encourage” God to allow Satan to sift us. “What are you talking about, Delbert? Not me!”
Matthew 26:31-35 Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: “‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.” “I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me THREE TIMES.” But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” AND ALL THE OTHER DISCIPLES SAID THE SAME.
Siftings of Satan Luke 22:31-38: How to Emerge Stronger
They argued earlier about who the greatest apostle was (Luk 22:24). Then they strutted about their commitment and thrones. It’s as if Jesus said, “You need to learn a lesson,” and Satan was allowed to sift.
2. How can pride make us more vulnerable to spiritual attacks?
1 Corinthians 10:12 So, if you think you are standing firm, BE CAREFUL that you don’t fall!
Proverbs 16:18 PRIDE goes before destruction, a HAUGHTY SPIRIT before a fall.
Have you ever felt you had it made and gotten a little prideful when the bottom fell out? Ever felt a little “untouchable” but found you were not as you went through a bad time? You encouraged a sifting of Satan. Be careful!
Jesus changed Simon’s name to Peter (Rocky to his friends) (Mat 16:18), but Jesus only called him Peter once, and it was in this conversation (v 34). Jesus said, “Simon, Simon…” Put your name there. For me, it’s “Delbert, Delbert.” What do you sense? Was Jesus expressing frustration with Simon Peter? Or was it concern, compassion, and love? If you’re a church person, you know how this worked out. Simon Peter messed up and denied he knew Jesus on three occasions. You will mess up, but you can avoid some mess ups.
Siftings of Satan Luke 22:31-38: How to Emerge Stronger
The point we need to see is Jesus knew Peter would mess up. Jesus wasn’t frustrated and angry with Peter. Jesus said, “Simon, Simon” or “Delbert, Delbert” or “You, You,” is his expressing compassion and love for Peter and us. The Lord knows we are going to mess up before we mess up. He knows when and where we will mess up and how many times we will mess up.
Though Jesus knew, he continued to love Peter and intended to work with and use Peter. Our mess-ups do not take Jesus by surprise. We are shocked by how badly we mess up. I do and say things that shock me. I get like Peter. “Not me! I’m your man! I’m the most awesome of all. Everyone else will mess up, not me!” Then, the Lord shows me I’m not, but he already knew how badly and how many times I would mess up and knew it before he even asked me to follow him.
“Yes, but God I can’t believe I did it again!”
Jesus says, “I knew.” “Yes, but it’s been 30 years. I should have beaten this by now.” He says, “Keep working on it. Continue to follow me. Repent, get up, and turn back to me again and again. It might require a few more siftings of Satan, but we’ll get there.” Knowing this doesn’t justify my mess-ups and sins, but it does show me God loves me, God loves you, how we should love one another, and how intent he is on using us and all our mess-ups.
Siftings of Satan Luke 22:31-38: How to Emerge Stronger
4. Does Satan need permission to test believers?
Luke 22:31-32 Simon, Simon, Satan has ASKED TO SIFT YOU as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, THAT YOUR FAITH MAY NOT FAIL…
Must Satan ask before he can sift? Yes, and he’s limited to what he can sift. In Simon Peter’s situation, Satan was limited to sifting Simon’s faith. We learn this from Job.
Job 1:12 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.” Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.
Job 2:6 The LORD said to Satan, “Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life.”
Satan’s on a leash and allowed only to touch Job in specific areas. The devil is God’s devil. Satan is God’s Satan. God created him (Gen 3:1), named him (Rev 12:9), and set Satan’s operating/sifting parameters.
Sift is siniazo {sin-ee-ad’-zo} – to sift, shake in a sieve (strainer or colander). Ever felt you were in the sieve being forced through a strainer? You were. We call it a satanic attack. No. It’s a satanic sifting. Jesus gave us a picture of what Satan is allowed to do.
Siftings of Satan Luke 22:31-38: How to Emerge Stronger
3. Why does Jesus call Peter “Simon” multiple times in this passage?
Have you ever wondered why Jesus referred to Peter as Simon several times here and sometimes in other passages? It’s because there are usually more than one sifting.
Wheat was sifted by first violently shaking it in a basket to lose and separate the husks/chaff from the usable wheat, then tossing it up, allowing the wind to blow away the husks. Some of the wheat is stubborn and will not release the husks. Sometimes, it takes us several siftings of Satan to release our husks. It took Peter “three times.” As badly as we hate it, the sifting has a purpose. We all have husks. So, when was your last sifting? In what area were you sifted? How’d you do? Did it remove the husks, or could another sifting be coming?
The prayer of Jesus was “that your faith may not fail.” Any satanic sifting will assault our faith. We’ve all been through this process. One of the first things we thought was, “Is God real? Is Jesus who he said he is? If God was real and Jesus was who he said, I wouldn’t be going through this!” We, like Peter, begin denying we even know him. Realize the sifting will assault your faith.
Siftings of Satan Luke 22:31-38: How to Emerge Stronger
Jesus told Peter, “When you have turned back, strengthen you brothers.”
Peter would mess up. Jesus knew he would, but Peter would turn back with fewer husks and better than ever. The sifting would be used to strengthen Peter and others. Peter was the leader of the apostles. He was their spokesman and, after Pentecost, was the primary preacher and key figure in the first eleven chapters of the Book of Acts. Peter brought the Holy Spirit to the Gentiles at Cornelius’ house in Acts 10. The point is the siftings of Satan have a purpose. They’re not so God could beat up on and punish neither Simon nor us. They’re to help us be the best we can be.
Jesus called him “Simon…” three times (v 31-32 – there would be three siftings of Satan). Then Jesus called him “Peter” in verse 34. To become Peter, the siftings of Satan were required. Siftings of Satan change us into the best we can be.
After Job’s sifting, he said,
Job 42:5 My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.
Siftings of Satan Luke 22:31-38: How to Emerge Stronger
God was superficial before Job sifted Satan. The siftings made God real to Job. Job saw and knew God through the siftings of Satan as never before.
I want to make one more point, and then we’ll move on.
Luke 22:31-32 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. BUT I HAVE PRAYED FOR YOU, Simon…
What a precious truth! Did you put your name there? Satan must ask to sift you. When, not if, he is permitted, realize Jesus already prayed for you before the sifting began. As badly as we hate the siftings of Satan, knowing Jesus has already prayed for me tells me I not only will be fine, I’ll be better than ever.
Luke 22:35-37 Then Jesus asked them, “When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?” “Nothing,” they answered. He said to them, “BUT NOW if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one. It is written: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors’; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is WRITTEN ABOUT ME is reaching its fulfillment.”
Siftings of Satan Luke 22:31-38: How to Emerge Stronger
There was now new, more severe warfare. Jesus sent the twelve out in Luke 9 and seventy-two in Luke 10. They were provided everything: money, food, clothing, safety, etc. They could preach the kingdom of God, heal, deliver, etc., with no resistance. Even devils were subject to them (Luk 10:17), but now, things would come against them that they had never anticipated. Now, be prepared for all hell to come against you. Have some money in your purse (wallet). Have supplies in your bag. Sell your cloak and buy a sword. A cloak was essential for survival. It was a blanket from the cold and sunblock during the day.
5. What are the “two swords” Jesus refers to, and how do they relate to spiritual warfare?
Luke 22:38 The disciples said, “See, Lord, here are TWO SWORDS.” “That is enough,” he replied.
We see Jesus again use hyperbole (purposeful exaggeration). Two swords are not enough to overthrow Rome and Judaism or even stop the arrest of Jesus. However, two swords in the supernatural are enough – the sword of the Spirit (Eph 6:17) and the double-edged sword of the Word of God (Heb 4:12; Rev 1:16). We know Jesus wasn’t talking about using a literal sword. Shortly, Peter will cut off a man’s ear with a sword when they arrest Jesus (Joh 18:10). Jesus will tell them to put the swords away. He said “For all who draw the sword will die by the sword” (Mat 26:52).
Siftings of Satan Luke 22:31-38: How to Emerge Stronger
Jesus was telling them and us to be prepared for spiritual warfare. He expressed that the warfare would become intense. The reason was the fulfillment of what was written about him as he was numbered with the transgressors (Isa 53:12 which Jesus said was written about him) was about to become reality.
Question: How prepared are most Christians for spiritual warfare? How prepared are you? Is spiritual warfare just a myth? How functional are most Christians with the Word of God and the things of the Spirit of God? And we wonder why so many Christians live defeated lives. Jesus let us and them know there is a war. We must be prepared. Are you prepared?
No one is immune to the siftings of Satan, but we can help minimize them by having some understanding.
Don’t encourage siftings by being haughty and prideful. Siftings reveal areas in our lives containing unusable husks. Allow the siftings to work and get as many husks out as possible to prevent future siftings. You are in a war. Are you prepared with your two swords?
Siftings of Satan Luke 22:31-38: How to Emerge Stronger
Siftings of Satan Luke 22:31-38: How to Emerge Stronger
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