Satan has asked, but Jesus has prayed.

Our great God leaves me utterly stunned so very often. I can read passages 100 different times and have my jaw hit the floor for a different reason every time. Every time. 

A dear friend of mine made a statement a few weeks ago and I haven't been able to shake it. God will do that, you know. When He's ready to teach us something new, or remind us of a powerful truth, He will put it in front of us over and over until we "get it". My friend made a reference to the fact that we all have a "heart hunger". We are each empty of something that deep down we long for, and if not filled up with the unfailing love of Jesus, it can lead us to fill up on that which is forbidden. A temptation. 

Sometimes the forbidden comes in the form of something good. Something desirable. Sometimes it comes in the form of pride, or self righteousness and we don't even recognize it. 

Dear Lord...please don't let us miss it! May He open our eyes to our hidden sin. As another friend of mine so beautifully puts it, "it's only hidden to our own self. Everyone else can see it perfectly." Yikes! 

So, as I've been pondering "heart hunger", Steve then makes a reference to when Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted. When He was at the end of His 40 days of fasting, and He was hungry (ya think??), Satan moves in to dangle the temptation. "IF you are God..." We know the rest. Steve pointed out that the enemy moved in at the most intense point of Jesus' "hunger". Jesus resisted the temptation by quoting and standing firm on the Word of God. 

Of course. Satan knew Jesus was hungry because even though He is fully God, He was also fully human. And humans need food. He had seen Jesus go without food for 40 days. 

The enemy and his evil ones know our hunger. They see what we go without. They see what we lack, which is what causes our heart hunger. Just like 1 Peter 5:8 says, he's roaming, prowling around, and he's seeking someone to devour. Looking for the opportune time to lure and entice our own evil desires. 

Luke 22:31 is no exception when it comes to passages that leave me awe struck. The words of Jesus stir my soul in a way that is so difficult to fully describe. 

Jesus, with all of His disciples, turns to have a specific word with Simon Peter. “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” 

The Greek word for "demanded" is exaiteo, which translates: to ask from, demand of. 

We know from other passages, such as the first couple of chapters of Job, and also in 2 Corinthians 12, that the enemy is sometimes given permission to have a specific amount of control over our circumstances...but only what God allows, and not one bit more. 

It becomes even more intense. 

The original Greek word for "sift" is siniazo, which translates: by inward agitation to try one's faith to the verge of overthrow. 

WHAT??? To try one's faith to the verge of overthrow.

Boom! If Satan, or his evil ones, can overthrow our faith in the one true God, he wins. 

If he shakes the potential faith of those who aren't Christians, they remain his. If he shakes the faith of those who already belong to Jesus, their salvation remains secure, but their power on this earth is non existent. They'll be like an electrical outlet that has a short-circuit...still there, but without charge. 

It becomes even MORE intense.

When Jesus says, "Satan demanded to have you, that he may sift you like wheat...", those you's are having to do with many, probably all of the disciples seated there with them at the Passover table. When He says, "but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail...", it is a completely different word!! Jesus had prayed specifically for Peter. 

May I repeat myself...WHAT??? Jesus, the Word made flesh, God with human skin on, facing the walk to the cross, prayed for Peter...that "when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers."

Jesus knew Peter's heart hunger. He knew the temptation that was about to hit him right in the face. Of course Peter didn't see it coming. Within hours he would choose self, pridefulness, and fear over His beloved Messiah...denying Jesus three separate times. But praise God, after the death, burial, and resurrection of our great Savior, Peter indeed turned back and strengthened his brothers!

Peter is not the only one Jesus took the time to pray for. In John 17, He also prayed for those of us who would believe in Him because of the disciples testimonies. That's any person who has ever placed their trust in Christ. You and me. He prayed for us. Why in the world do we give into our multiple heart hungers when the Creator of the universe, who took on flesh and gave His life for us, has prayed specifically for us? 

What did He pray? "I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.‭‭" John 17:15.

So he prowls around, waiting to devour. But we have been prayed for. Tempted by the evil one, prayed for by the Holy One.  Yes, the enemy and his evil ones can see our heart hunger, but so does our great God. We're not alone in this battle. 

Let's remember to fill up on Psalm 90:14 every morning, "Satisfy us in the morning with Your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days."

When our heart hunger encounters the forbidden, may we be quick to remind ourselves that though Satan has asked, Jesus has prayed.