Grosey's Messages

Providence of God  Boston

Matthew 10: 29.— Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing ? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.

Our Lord is here encouraging his disciples against all the troubles and distresses they might meet with in their way, and particularly against the fear of men, by the consideration of the providence of God, which reaches unto the meanest of things, sparrows and the hairs of our head. Sparrows are of a mean price and small value; and yet, for as mean as they are, God preserves them, guides and disposes of all things concerning them, so that one of them cannot fall to the ground by shot or any other way, without his sovereign ordering and disposal.

The instruction deducible from the text is,

Doctrine.  There is a providence that extends itself to the least of things.

I. I am to shew that there is a providence. This appears,

1. From plain scripture-testimonies ; as Psal. ciii. 19. 'His kingdom ruleth over all.' Acts xvii. 28. 'In him we live, and move, and have our being,' Eph. i. 11.—'Who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.' Providence is also held forth by a threefold scripture-emblem. Chiefly, (1.) Mount Moriah, which upon occasion of the miraculous preservation of Isaac, and a ram to be put in his room in order to be sacrificed, was called Jehovah Jiteh, i. e. The Lord will provide, Gen. xxii. 14. (2.) Jacob's ladder, on which God appears managing all things. Gen. xxviii. (3.) Ezekiel's wheels, where there was a wheel in the middle of a wheel, denoting the agency of the first cause, and the superintending and directing providence of God, Ezek. i.

2. From the nature of God, who being independent, and the first cause of all things, the creatures must needs depend upon him in their being and working. He is the end of all things, wise, knowing how to manage all for the best; powerful to effectuate whatever he has purposed; and faithful to accomplish all he has decreed, promised, or threatened.

3. From the harmony and order of the most confused things in the world. Every thing appears to a discerning eye to be "wisely ordered, notwithstanding the confusions that seem to take place. What would become of the world, if there were not a providence seeing men that despise all order, and would fain give loose reins to their lusts and unbridled inclinations, are always the greatest party, and would overpower and destroy the smaller and most virtuous party ? Herein the truth of providence clearly appears. The extraordinary judgments that have pursued and been inflicted upon wicked men, and the remarkable deliverances that have been granted to the church and people of God in all ages, do loudly proclaim a providence.

4. From the fulfilment of prophecies, which could not possibly be without a providence to bring them to pass.

II. Let us, in the next place, consider the object of providence, or that which it reacheth and extendeth to. And this is all the creatures, and all their actions, Heb. i. 3.—' Upholding all things by the word of his power,' Psal. ciii. 19. 'His kingdom ruleth over all.' The angels are subject to this providence, Neh. ix. 6. ' Thou, even thou art Lord alone, thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all things that are therein, the seas and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all, and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.' So are also the devils, these infernal spirits, Matth. viii. 31, 'If thou cast us out (said they to Jesus), suffer us to go away unto the herd of swine.' It reacheth natural things, as clouds, snow, winds, &c. as appears from Psal. civ. cxlvii. and from daily observation. Casual things are ordered by providence, as lots, Prov. xvi. 33. ' The lot is cast into the lap : but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord.' So in the case of accidental manslaughter, Exod. xxi. 13. ' If a man lie not in wait, and God deliver him into his hand.' There is nothing so mean but providence extends to it, such as the falling of a sparrow, and the numbering of the hairs of our head. It is God that feeds the fowls and the young ravens that cry. He clothes the lilies and grass of the field, that have no hand of man about them. He made lice, frogs, &c. a plague to scourge Pharaoh and his people, worms to eat up Herod, &;c. In a special manner providence is conversant about man, forming him in the womb, ' Hast thou not poured me out as milk (says Job), and curdled me like cheese ? Thou hast clothed me with flesh and hast fenced me with bones and sinews,' Job x. 10, 11.—bringing him forth out of his mother's bowels, and holding him up thereafter, Psal. Ixxi. 6. His heart is in the Lord's hand, and all his thoughts and inclinations are under his control, Prov. xxi. 1.  He directs and orders all his steps. The most free acts of the creature's will are governed by superintending providence. All their good actions, John xv. 5. ' Without nie ye Can do nothing.' So also their evil actions, Acts iv. 27, 28. ' For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done,' Gen. xlv. 7- ' God sent me before you,' says Joseph to his brethren, though they had wickedly sold him into Egypt.

1. God by his providence preserves all the creatures. This preservation of the creatures is an act of providence, whereby they are preserved in their being and power of acting, Heb. i. 3. ' Upholding all things by the word of his power.' In this God sometimes makes use of means, and sometimes acts without means. AVe have both described, Hos. ii. 21, 22. ' I will hear saith the Lord, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth, and the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil, and they shall hear Jez-reel.' He preserves the heavens immediately, the earth, the corn, the wine, and the oil, &c. mediately. And thus by his providence he provides all things necessary for the preservation of all things ; Psal. cxlv. 15, 16. ' The eyes of all wait upon thee, and thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.' This act of providence is so necessary, that nothing could subsist one moment without it. For there is no necessary connexion betwixt the being of the creatures this moment and their being the next; and as they could net give themselves a being, so they cannot continue it, but must be upheld by God as a ball in the air, Heb. i. 3. There is a continual efflux of providence necessary for preserving and upholding the creatures in their being, otherwise they would be independent, and could preserve themselves, which is grossly absurd.

2. God does not only preserve the creatures, but governs and manages them, which is the second act of providence ; whereby he disposes of all things, persons, and actions, according to his will, Prov. xxi. 1. ' The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water : he turneth it whithersoever he will, Prov. xvi. 33. ' The lot is cast into the lap: but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord.' Chap. xvi. 9. ' A man's heart deviseth his way ; but the Lord directeth his steps.' And this act of providence is also necessary : for as the creature cannot be or exist without God, so neither can it act without him, Acts xvii. 21. ' For in him we live, and move, and have our being.' God does not make man as the carpenter doth the ship, which afterwards sails without him ; but he rules and guides him, sitting at the helm, to direct and order all his motions : so that whatever men do, they do nothing without him : not only in their good actions, where he gives grace, and excites it, working in them both to will and to do of his good pleasure : but also in their evil actions, wherein they are under the hand of Providence, but in a very different manner.

God over-rules all to a good end. God has one end in wicked actions, and the sinner another. The sinner minds and intends evil, but God means and designs good by them all. So Joseph's brethren, in their cruelly selling him for a slave, meant evil to the poor youth; but God, in that dispensation meant it for good, and brought much good out of it to Joseph, and his father and brethren. Thus the Jews crucified Christ out of malice against him; but God by that crucifixion intended satisfaction to his justice for the sins of men, and the redemption and salvation of an elect world. Thus God brings good, the greatest good out of the worst of evils. What greater evil or more atrocious wickedness can be imagined, than the violent death of the innocent Son of God, who went about doing good, and was holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners ? and yet what a rich and astonishing good resulted therefrom, even glory to God, and peace and good-will towards men!

1. God's providence is most holy, Psal. cxlv. 17- ' The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.' Even though providence reach to and be conversant in sinful actions, yet it is pure; as the sun contracts no defilement, though it shine on a dunghill. For God is neither the physical nor moral cause of the evil of any action, more than he who rides on a lame horse is the cause of his halting. All the evil that is in sinful actions proceeds and flows from the wicked agent, as the stench of the dunghill does not proceed from the heat of the sun, but from the corrupt matter contained in the dunghill.

2. It is most wise, Isa. xxviii. 29. ' This cometh forth from the Lord of hosts, who is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.' Infinite wisdom always proposes the most excellent ends in all its operations, and uses the best methods for accomplishing its ends. However perplexed confused, and void of wisdom providential administrations may appear to us poor mortals of narrow, shallow capacities, yet they are the result of the highest wisdom and the deepest counsel, as proceeding from and directed by him whose name is the only wise God, and cannot but manage all things with the greatest understanding. And the day will at last come when it

shall be said by the united voice of the whole assembly and church of the first-born, that God hath done all things well: and then the plan of providence will appear in every respect to have been most wise, harmonious and consistent.

3. Providence is most powerful. Hence the Lord says to Sennacherib, the king of Assyria ' I will put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou earnest,' 2 Kings xix. 28. ' The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.' "Who can resist his will which is almighty ? He can never fail of his end, but all things fall out according to his decree, which is efficacious and irresistible.

PsAL. cvii. 43.— Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord.

Whosoever would walk with God, must be due observers of the word and providence of God, for by these in a special manner he manifests himself to his people. In the one we see what he says ; in the other what he does. These are the two books that every student of holiness ought to be much conversant in. They are both written with one hand, and they should both be carefully read, by those that would have not only the name of religion, but the thing. They should be studied together, if we would profit by either; for being taken together, they give light the one to the other; and as it is our duty to read the word, so it is also our duty to observe the work of God, Psal. xxviii. 5

1. The object these things ; that is, the dispensations of providence. These are the things the Psalmist would have men to observe. For the design of this psalm is to praise God for his wonderful works of providence in the world, especially in the church. For this cause he sets before us, (1.) Wonderful deliverances wrought by providence, instanced in the seasonable relief given to, (1.) Needy and bewildered strangers, far from their own, ver. 3.—9. (2.) Captives and prisoners, ver. 10,—16. (3.) Sick people at the gates of death, ver. 17-—22. (4.) To seafaring men in a storm, ver. 23.—32. (2.) Strange and surprising changes in human affairs. (1.) Fruitful places made barren, and barren places fruitful, ver. 33.—35. For an instance of which we need but consider this our own country, sometime a forest, for little use but to be a hunting-field, now comfortably maintaining many families, and useful to the nation by its great store. (2.) Mean families raised by a blessing on their husbandry and store, and cast down again from their prosperity by cross providences, ver. 36.—39. (3.) Those that were high in the world abased, and those that were mean and despicable raised to honour, ver. 40, 41. These turns of providence are of use to solace saints, and silence sinners, ver. 42. Now, here is a field opened for serious observation. These and such like things we are called to notice.

That it is not easy to get the flame of wrath quenched when once it is kindled. "We may say this day, as in Psalm Ixv. 5, "By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us, 0 God of our salvation." Men's sins may bring that on the creatures which they will not soon get removed. Learn here to beware of kindling the fire by provoking God ! It is easier to keep the sword of vengeance in the sheath, than to got it sheathed again when once drawn. It is dangerous to depend on the praying for mercy on a death-bed, delaying all till then, for then wrath may be gone out, not to be quenched.

(3.) It is dangerous to be concerned with those with whom God hath a controversy : thus, all that belonged to Achan perished with him: Josh. vii. 24, 25, " And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan, the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had ; and they brought them unto the valley of Achor. And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us ? the Lord shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones." Had these oxen and asses been another's than Achan's. they had not perished in the manner they did. Thus the poor creatures lament their relation to sinful men ; and many smart sore upon the occasion of the controversy God has with them with whom they are nearly connected. A companion of fools shall be destroyed. Even those God has a kindness for may smart full sorely for the sake of others; see 1 Kings xiv. 10— 13. Another lesson is,

(4.) That sin is a heavy burden, which none are able to bear up under. 0 sirs ! What think ye of sin, that makes the very earth to groan under it this day ? Isa. xxiv. 20, " The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage, and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it, and it shall fall, and not rise again." Ye walk for the present full lightly under it, but the weight of it ere long, will be felt by the most stupid sinner; a dreadful weight! that makes the whole creation groan. Are not the bands of guilt strong and strait, that thus gird up the heaven and earth, and bind down the creatures, that they

cannot get up their head ? It is an offence to an infinite God, no wonder it doth lay an infinite weight on the offender.— We are instructed,

(5.) That God is a jealous and just God, who will not suffer sin to go unpunished. Deceive not yourselves with misapprehensions of God, like the wicked, who, as in Psalm 1. 21, think him altogether such an one as themselves; for as sweet as sin may be in the mouth, it will be bitter in the belly : Job xx. 12—14, " Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue; though he spare it, and forsake it not, but keep it still within his mouth :— Yet his meat in his bowels is turned, it is the gall of asps within him." Therefore, Exod. xxiii. 21, " Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions." He is true to his word, and it cannot fail. He will reverse the order of nature, turn the heavens to brass, and the earth to iron, rather than one word of his fall to the ground.— We may also learn,

(6.) That creatures are ever weak pillars to lean to. You have need of something else to bear your weight, the weight of your comfort, much more of your happiness, for they are not able. There is a vanity that they are under, by reason of which they cannot reach that end: Eccl. i. 2, " All is vanity." They that have not something else to lean to, may soon have nothing to look to at all. 0 what a pitiful idol is the clay god of this world!—We may farther learn,

(7-) That God is a sovereign King, against whom there is no rising up. How can sinners think to escape with their sins, when the whole creation smart for their sakes ? Can we think that the innocent creatures should suffer, and we go free ? Can there be an out-braving him, who makes the earth and heavens groan under his hand ? or a fleeing from him, from whom the whole creation cannot make their escape ?—We are instructed farther,

(8.) That the service of the creatures to sinful man is an imposition on them : Rom. viii. 20, " For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly." Man falling from God, lost the right he had to them. But yet they are kept in his service, which they grudge, and therefore they groan.—Hence it comes to pass, that these servants sometimes becoming masters, hurt him, and dispatch him. The least creature, having a commission for such a service, proves too hard for him, such as a stone in fruit, or a hair in milk.—I only add,

(9.) That the creatures ai'e wearied of the world lying in wickedness, and would fain have it brought to an end : Rom. viii. 19, " For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God." There is a happy day for the restitution of all things; they are longing for that day, when this world, that sink of sin, that stage of vanity, and scene of misery, shall be taken down; and the wicked shall have poured out upon them the deserved curse, with all its effects, centreing in themselves, without burdening others with it in any measure.—I come now,

2. To an use of exhortation. The groans of the creatures are exciting, stirring up groans. So many of them as are about us this day, so many preachers have we to provoke us to the duty we profess to be engaged in.—They cry to us,

(1.) Humble yourselves under the hand of God. He has laid them low, and shall not we lie low before him, since for our sake they are cast down. The noisy waters are now silent as a stone under his hand, the lofty mountains have laid aside their ornaments, and every thing mourns after its kind. Come down, then, from your pride and obstinacy ; yield yourselves to the God that made you, lie low in the dust, and join issue with the rest of the creation. —They cry,

(2.) Repent, repent; for he is a God that will not be mocked, and though he long forbear, lie will be avenged on impenitent sinners at last. He has been long pleading with us to let our sins go, and he is saying now, as to Pharaoh, Exod. ix. 2, 3, " For if you refuse to let them go, and wilt hold them still; behold the hand of the Lord is upon thy cattle which is in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep ; there shall be a very grievous murrain." Harden not your hearts to keep fast the bane of strife betwixt God and yon, lest it fare with you as it did with Pharaoh, on whose person God's hand fell heavy at last.—They cry,

(3.) Pray, pray. "When the heathen mariners were at their prayers in a storm at sea, it was a shame for Jonah to be sleeping; Jon, i. 4. The creatures, as they can, are crying to the Lord ; shall we be more brutish than they, and be silent at such a time ? I've have been praying in the congregation; it would be a promising thing, and no more but duty, if families and particular persons were fasting and praying : Zech. xii. 12, " And the land shall mourn, every family apart." There is much work in families otherwise, to take care of them. 0 ! then, will yon not do that which is so needful for yourselves and them ?—I exhort you,

(4.) To reform, for the sake of these you would not involve in ruin with yourselves. For, Eccl. ix. 18, " Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroyeth much good." We see how the poor creatures are ruined in this way. But it is not them only : Achan troubled the camp of Israel, God has threatened to pursue his quarrel to the third and fourth generations. If one in the family be seized with the plague, it is enough to carry away the whole.—Be exhorted,

(5.) To endeavour to reform others, for your own sakes. The fire in your neighbour's house may come to burn down yours, if you do not help to quench it. It is thought that Achan's sons perished with him, because they concealed and laboured not to put away their father's sin.

(6.) Seek to find your comfort and happiness only in the enjoyment of God and Christ. Then in the time of famine you may rejoice in the God of salvation, like the prophet Habakkuk, chap, iii, 17. It is a sad matter we should again be so ready to trust the deceiving world, and to lean again to that broken reed that hath so often failed us, and pierced through our hand. Seek it in God, where it can never fail, in the everlasting covenant, that will be a portion of which ye may always be sure.

(7.) Fear God, and stand in awe of him. As the sight of the drawn sword makes him in some measure afraid that wields it, so the sight of God's judgments should fill us with the dread of his majesty : Psalm cxix, 120, " My flesh trembleth for fear of thee ; and I am afraid of thy judgment," When the sea was raging, and Jonah awakened, he was impressed with fear and reverence of him that made it, Jonah i, 9, God would have the hearts of people awed ■with his works; and it is contempt of God not to be so,

(8.) Labour to get a renewed right to the creatures. Our first charter was lost by Adam at his fall: and as the estates of rebels fall of course to the crown, so our right to the creatures was forfeited, and they fell back into the hands of him that gave them. We must get a ne(v right through Jesus Christ, by faith in him, if ever we would have true comfort in the creatures. I own a wicked man has a sort of right to the creatures: Psalm cxv. 16, " The earth hath the Lord given to the sons of men," By the same law that God hath said. Thou shalt not kill, he has made them over to us. This is a providential right, but it is not a covenant-right. It is but like the right the forfeited condemned man has to his meat till the hour of his execution.

Lastly, To those that are godly, I would beseech you to long for that blessed day for which the creatures are groaning. You have good reason, as well as they. Long for the day this stage shall be taken down, whereon so much sin and misery are acted, when all that Adam put wrong shall be completely righted by Jesus Christ.

https://youtu.be/TCIOCG3wD3s  

31 "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."

35 And he said to them, "When I sent you out with no moneybag or knapsack or sandals, did you lack anything?" They said, "Nothing." 36 He said to them, "But now let the one who has a moneybag take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one. 37 For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: 'And he was numbered with the transgressors.' For what is written about me has its fulfillment." 38 And they said, "Look, Lord, here are two swords." And he said to them, "It is enough."

Simon, Simon …. Oh dear… if you call out "Steven Richard Grose" instead of "Steve" or "Grosey" I know I am in trouble.  So did Peter. Umm Simon!  Why would he be in trouble?

24 A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. 25 And he said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. 26  But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. 27 For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves.

Guess who was involved in this debate!

Here is a man who loves Jesus sincerely and had the truest desire to follow the Lord Jesus and yet he may be overcome and overborne with fear and intimidation and by the devil and fall into great, great sin. I have every confidence Simon meant exactly what he said when he told the Lord that he was ready to go with Him to prison and even to death…I have no doubt that the apostle meant it because Simon Peter dearly loved the Lord Jesus with all his heart…that rough fisherman loved the Lord Jesus. He had given up everything to follow His Master…and I believe He meant it! He wasn't just bragging! He wasn't making an idle boast! He meant it when he said, ""Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death." And, yet even with this dedication…even with this love…even with the highest resolve, 34 Jesus said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me."

Your Sifting Is Predicted

That is a very frightening prophecy!

It reveals to us that a man who has lived in very close and intimate fellowship with the Lord for three years and whose heart is dedicated to the Lord and whose life is filled with the sincerest desire to follow Him and serve can fall into great sin! We somehow feel that our highest ideals, our highest resolves, our greatest times of dedication will somehow stop us from failure.  It is a frightening thing that tells me that the best can fail.

H. G. Wells once said that a man can love music and be a very poor musician…and there's a lot of truth in that. A man can love art and yet be a very poor artist himself. A man can love Jesus and have the highest desire to never do anything that would dishonour and disgrace Him, and yet that man can fail miserably.

"Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat,"

The word "you" is in the plural, indicating all the disciples, but He singles out Simon in particular… Notice He doesn't call him "Peter." He calls him by his original name. Simon was Peter's name when Jesus met him. Jesus had said, "Thou art Simon and thou shalt be called 'Cephas,'" or "Peter," which is interpreted "rock" or "stone"…in other words, Jesus is saying to Peter when He meets him that first time and calls him to be His disciple that Jesus is going to change his character. He's going to make something firm and steadfast and dependable…a rock…out of Peter. But, when He comes to prophesy of the failure of this apostle, He does not address him as "Peter." He addresses him as "Simon." He uses his former name and I think by this, Jesus Christ is indicating that Peter is full of frailty and fickleness and human weakness because this is the area in which the devil is going to strike at Peter.

Satan desires to possess the believer. Jesus said to Simon,"Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat,"

The fact that the devil has an intense interest in the believer…the fact that this interest is so great that he had a desire to possess this man, to literally bring him, pull him, extract him from the hands of God…get him in his own clutches and do with him as he pleases. I think this is a very important truth for every believer to understand.

Your Sifting Is Personal

The devil has a great desire for you. He wants you. He wants to take you in his hands and sift you as wheat. He wants to harass you, to trouble you, to attack you, to separate you from the Lord Jesus, to separate you from the fellowship of other believers. I think that Simon Peter was speaking out of his own experience when he wrote in 1 Peter 5:8  "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." The devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour. You remember in the book of Job, when the devil showed up in the court of God. God asked the devil where he's been…

Job 1: 6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan  also came among them. 7 The LORD said to Satan, "From where have you come?" Satan answered the LORD and said, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it." 8 And the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?" 9 Then Satan answered the LORD and said, "Does Job fear God for no reason? 10 Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face." 12 And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand." So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.

Now, the interesting point there is that when God asked Satan, "…hast thou considered My servant, Job…," and Satan, by his reply indicates he has spent a great deal of time considering Job. He knows a great deal about Job. He says, "Aha, Job is Your servant, and he has served You, but the reason he has served You is because You've built a hedge about him and not only is there a hedge about him, but there's also a hedge about his house and there's a hedge about everything that he has on every side and You have blessed the work of his hands and his substance is increased in the land." I tell you, the devil knew a great deal about Job. I have an idea he had a pretty thick file on Brother Job.

How did Satan know there was a hedge around Job? Well, because he'd been trying to get to Job and he found a hedge. You can rest assured he investigated every inch of that hedge to see if there was a hole that he could sneak through. He found out there was a hedge about his house, and a hedge on every side of everything that he had. Job had been considered by the devil…indicating the devil's great interest in Brother Job….as he also had an interest in Simon…and my friend, as he has an interest also in you and me. The Apostle Paul tells us that we are still involved in a hand to hand combat with the devil and all his minions.

Satan has a great desire for the believer! He watches us and he considers us, looking for an opportunity, a vulnerable spot. This is why the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 4, tells us not to give place to the devil. The idea there, of course, is of giving the devil a toehold, a foothold…letting the devil get a foot in the door. "Be careful," the apostle says, "of how you live because the devil is an opportunist, and if there's anger among you, if there's an unforgiving spirit, if there's anything that smacks of bitterness or resentment, if there's any kind of crack or sin in the armor of the Christian life, the devil will be able to slip in and he will be able to overpower you. Be careful that you do not give an opening to the devil." Again, I believe, indicating the devil keeps a watchful eye on every believer.

You see, the devil stalks before he leaps. The devil had been stalking Simon Peter.

Your Sifting Is Permitted

Satan Must Have Divine Permission

Now, Friend, this is one of the most important and encouraging truths you'll ever entertain in your mind. The devil, while he hates the believer, while he is our antagonist, he is committed to the destruction of our lives, and he walketh about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may – not simply taste or bite – but whom he may devour, swallow whole, yet this master of malice cannot touch me without divine permission. He cannot touch me without divine permission! Look at verse 31 again:
"The Lord said, 'Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath
desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat…'"

Now, the key is the word translated "desire." It means "to beg earnestly for." Literally, the word could be translated "to obtain by asking permission."

God regulates the devil. Now, I emphasize that this is a very important truth to understand. Years and years ago, there was a heresy that was called "dualism." This heresy said that there are dual powers in the universe. They are equal powers. They are opposing powers, but they are equal powers. They are dual powers…the power of good and the power of evil.

God is a sovereign God. That means there belongs to God unlimited power…"all authority," Jesus said, "is given unto Me in heaven and in earth." All authority! All power! The devil may be the prince of the power of the air…but all power belongs to God! And, the devil can do nothing except God permit him to do it!

You remember when the Lord Jesus stood before Pilate, and Pilate was questioning the Lord and he made this statement: "Jesus, don't you know that I have the power of life and death over you?" And, Jesus said, "You would not have any power but that was given to you of My Father which is in heaven." That's an amazing statement! Pilate didn't have any power except the power that was given him of God. Now, what that boils down to mean is this…that God the Father gave Pilate the power to crucify His Son. But Pilate, regardless of his being the dupe of the devil, didn't have the power to crucify Jesus unless the Father permitted it. All power belongs to God! And everything the devil does, he must do under the permissive will of the Lord…and so, Jesus says, "Simon, Simon, Satan hath desired to have you…"

Your Sifting is Purposeful

Because we need it. it is for our own good.

Sift: The process of separating the wheat from the chaff.

Sifting is necessary to wheat. Wheat must be sifted because it is wheat! Sifting separates the good from the bad.

Satan wanted to sift so no wheat would remain to take out whatever was good. But Christ's desire was that no chaff would remain.

The devil strikes at crisis moments, he also strikes at the points of our strength.

Now, let me make this very clear…To us it is a point of strength, but in fact it is a point of weakness. Peter believed that his strong point was his courage. I think in the Gospels, you get the idea that Peter's not afraid of anything. There's nothing bashful or shy about this fellow at all. He's always the first one to speak out on any subject, whether he knows what he's talking about or not. He's often been in error, but never in doubt. Peter is that type of brusque, rough man…he's a man's man…big, burley fisherman! He's not afraid of anything…in the Garden of Gethsemane, he is the one who takes out his sword and attacks that man, and of course he may have been brave, but he wasn't a very good shot…he got his ear while trying to go for his head. One man said that Peter was trying to split Malchus in two…"Mal" on the one side and "Chus" on the other. But, Peter missed and hit his ear, and be that as it may, Peter was a brave and courageous man. He wasn't afraid of anything.

As I said earlier, I believe Peter was absolutely, totally sincere when he said, "Lord, I'll go with Thee to death…I'm ready to die for You…" Now, to Peter, that was his strong point. That was one thing that Peter didn't need to worry about. He may have other points that he needed to reinforce, that he needed to keep a watchful eye on…but as far as his boldness, as far as his courage, as far as his fearlessness was concerned, that point was alright.

Now, I want you to notice. That was at the point the devil struck. The devil will always strike at your strong points because your strong points are your weak points. Why are they your weak points? Well, for a number of reasons, but the main reason is this: If I believe this is my strong point, then I am going to be complacent in that area. I'm going to be satisfied in that area. I'm not going to put any guards over there in that area.

The truth is both God and Satan agreed Peter needed a good sifting!

Peter was arguing when he should have been listening.

Jesus had told the disciples over and over about His coming crucifixion and death. But Peter wouldn't accept it. "Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying,"Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!" (Matthew 16:22).

But Peter wouldn't accept it, even when the Lord Himself told him. Think about that! Arguing with Jesus! Jesus then had to say, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me…" (vs. 23).

Hearing His Word, do you put your own spin on it, watering it down?

Peter was boasting when he should have been depending.

"Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death" (Luke 22:33).

Jesus, knowing the future, replies, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me"

Peter thought, "That's something I'll never do." But he did.

Here's Peter, naturally bold and aggressive—the one who jumped out of the boat to walk on water, drawing his sword in Gethsemane thinking he could protect the Lord—boasting when he should have been depending on God, not his own strength. Oswald Chambers said, "An unguarded strength is a double weakness."

Are you depending on your ability? Do you look around at others, saying, "Thank God, I'm not like them"?

Peter was sleeping when he should have been praying.

Agonizing in prayer in Gethsemane, Jesus found His disciples sleeping. "Then He said to them, "Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation"  (Luke 22:46).

Are you sleeping when you should be seeking Him in prayer? Do the things that break the heart of Jesus break yours? Or do you yawn in the face of God? Jesus taught us to pray every morning, not only for daily bread, but for daily protection: "And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one" (Matthew 6:13). Do you put on the armor of God every morning, asking, "In the name of Jesus, protect me and keep me"?

Prayerlessness reveals a pride that says, "I'm quite capable of handling this myself." Whispering a little prayer, off you go, then spiritually fall flat on your face.

Peter was fighting rather than loving.

When he took up a sword against the high priest's servant,

Peter had the wrong enemy. 

"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12).

The devil loves to get people fighting people. Those who hate Christians aren't the enemy. They're victims of the real enemy—Satan.

Peter had the wrong weapon

Jesus told Peter to put his sword away. "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds" (2 Corinthians 10:4).

Our battle is against the powers of darkness. Nothing but divine power can overcome them. Our weapons are faith, prayer, surrender, obedience, revival; the devil cannot stand against those.

Peter had the wrong energy.

He'd not been praying. He awakened in the energy of the flesh, filled with misguided zeal.

Have you been boasting when you ought to be depending? Sleeping when you ought to be praying? Fighting in the energy of the flesh, rather than walking in the Spirit?

Peter had the wrong attitude.

"for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God" (James 1:20). You can have holy indignation over sin, but beware of misguided, unbridled anger.

Peter failed miserably, but God wasn't through with him.

No matter how badly you've failed, God isn't finished with you, either. Failure need not be final.

Your Sifting Is Prayed For

32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers."

This to me is the most wonderful point.  His eye is on you!

"I have prayed for you" It is personal and individual. Of course, Christ prayed for all the disciples (John 17) but here He singles out Peter. WHY?

"The man that was in the greatest danger was the man nearest Christ's heart, and chiefly the object of Christ's prayer. So it is always so–the tenderest of His' words, the sweetest of His consolations, the sweetest of his consolations, the strongest of His succours, the most pleading and urgent of His petitions, the mightiest gifts of His grace, are given to the weakest, the neediest, the men and women in most sorrow and stress and peril, and those who want (need) Him most always have Him nearest. The thicker the darkness, the brighter His light; the drearier our lives the richer His presence; the more solitary we are, the larger the gifts of His companionship. OUR NEED IS THE MEASURE OF HIS PRAYER. ..When you want Christ most, Christ is most to you.". Alexander McLaren

He prays for you!  The Lord Jesus Himself. He prays for you! Hebrews 7: 25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost  those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

You are in His heart! He prays for you!

32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail.

Jesus didn't pray that Simon would be exempt from it, but protected through it. The Lord's focus was that Simon's Faith would not fail.. He prays for you that your faith will not fail..

1Peter 1:3-5 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

God's power is prevailed upon to keep your faith in Him true. He keeps your faith so that it doesn't fail.. What does that mean? In my experience He continues to show you He is real.  He continues to show you He is in control. He continues to show you that He loves you and you are important to Him!

Your Sifting Is Powerful

"And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers."

Not "IF" but "WHEN". Peter's recovery was assured before his failure was experienced.

"strengthen your brothers."He will then be qualified to minister to others

2 Corinthians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.¹  6 If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. 7 Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.

Joseph … the trial made him a source of life to others.

You may not be able to find the explanation of your suffering in your own life. It may be found only in the lives of others. The flowers may not grow in your own garden but in the garden of another. The wealth earned by your sufferings may be deposited in another's account. The benefits may go to someone else.

Are you going through a good sifting? God has a purpose in it.

Trust Him with it. Let Him change you.  Turn again to Him.