lael的部落格

     Because Peter couldn’t get it and keep it, the Lord had to prophesy to him again. Peter had gotten it and received the prophecy for the generations ahead but was then called Satan within fifteen minutes. After that, he had to have another prophecy. No one wants to end on that note. You don’t want to end in your mind. Jesus could have said, “Peter, you are so mind-full. Your emotions and your way of thinking are so tangled up in the world that you can’t keep your heavenly perspective.” Peter had hooked in with Satan’s thinking, and Jesus could have continued by saying, “And I’m going to call you his child.” So, He had to give Peter another prophecy.

     In verse 31, Jesus even reverts to Peter’s former name, Simon, because he couldn’t keep his new identity. When you can’t keep your new identity, you go back to looking like who you were. “And the Lord said, ‘Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren” (vv. 31–32). In other words, Jesus could have said, “Peter, you only have one shot at your beyond. You’re going to have to strengthen your brothers. If you ever go another way, he has you. Satan asked for you, and I don’t have a choice but to give you to him. He is going to sift you like wheat, so everything in you is going to be separated out. But when you come through this place, and you get beyond your sifting, you will strengthen your brothers. It’s on the road to beyond.”

     If you can’t keep and secure the revelation God’s bringing to you, there is a place called sifting on your road. Basically, Jesus said, “Peter, when you get past this place called sifting, all you can do then is to strengthen your brethren. If you try to go another route, Satan’s going to have you.” This is why I do what I do.