Your Struggles and Suffering Are Not for You Alone

“’Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, 32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.’ 33 Peter said to him, ’Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.’ 34 Jesus said, ‘I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me.’” Luke 22:31-34 (ESV)

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Your walk of faith is not yours alone. I rebuke the spirit of loneliness and lone gunmen off of everyone who reads this, in JESUS’ Name.

Have you ever read the verses above and realized that, within the same conversation, JESUS tells Simon Peter he would fail, he would be restored, and what he should do with his failure? CHRIST then further tells Simon how he would fail.

I laugh! Only the Perfect, Loving, Powerful GOD can allow you and I to fail just enough to use us as a sign for others.

So, #YouAreASign #IAmASign

YAHWEH, the ALMIGHTY GOD, prayed for Simon, that his faith would not fail – not that he would not go through the trial, not that he would not go through the failure, not that he would not hurt, but that his faith, that which pleases GOD inside of him, would not fail.

“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”

Hebrews 11:6 (ESV)

If Simon’s faith had failed, he would never be restored.

If Simon’s faith had failed, he would never have continued to seek GOD and receive the reward of restoration, later leading the Church in Jerusalem, and eventually, being crucified upside down as a martyr for the Gospel.

Simon Peter’s story would have ended as a denier of JESUS.

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Today, we who read these verses can learn from Simon that suffering and struggle is part of a JESUS-lover’s lifestyle. That is why longsuffering is a fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT (Galatians 5:22-23).

Most important is how we long suffer. Will you hold on to JESUS even when the world is caving in all around you, knowing that GOD is trusting us with our sufferings, failures, pains, and hurts, to show the world how HE can turn things around?

How will the world know that our GOD can give us beauty for ashes and the oil of joy for mourning (Isaiah 61:3) if we don’t demonstrate it? You are HIS sign to the world that HE is good, and HIS Love endures forever.

Prayer:

1.   Ask the LORD for forgiveness for anywhere your faith in HIM may have failed. Remind HIM and yourself that your hope and sure foundation is in JESUS CHRIST.

2. Command every spirit of regret, isolation, loneliness, confusion, fear, sorrow, mourning and/or self-condemnation off of your spirit and soul in JESUS’ Name.

3.   Request the HOLY SPIRIT of GOD to come in and take over all the spaces where these evil spirits plaguing your emotions used to reside. HOLY SPIRIT of JESUS CHRIST, come and take over all of us, in JESUS’ Name.

Action:

4.   Ask the LORD to lead you to Bible-believing believers who you can trust and walk in true communion with in JESUS’ Name. Join them.

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