ICS Daily Devotions
Strengthen Your Brethren
Luke 22:31-34 (NKJV) And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” 33 But he said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.” 34 Then He said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me.”
Romans 8:26-27, 34 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God…..34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
Can you imagine what is happening at the throne of God? God is seated on His throne. The devil is accusing us before God for all the wrongdoings in our lives, and he does it throughout the entire day both in heaven and in our minds. And he is saying that we are not worthy to be delivered from the tribulation through the sifting process.
Tribulation includes distress, persecution, affliction and oppression.
Verses 26-27, 34 gives us revelation regarding the work of two of the Godheads while we are going through tribulation.
While we are always welcome into the throne of grace based on who we are IN CHRIST, we have the Holy Spirit helping us to pray, and He intercedes according to the will of God. The will of God is good and nothing evil because there is no darkness in God. We can take comfort that He will be praying good things. God does not condemn us, so we are not in trouble or at odds with God.
Jesus said that He sent the Holy Spirit to us so that we will not feel as though we are alone or abandoned. The Holy Spirit is our comforter, helper, and counselor during our time on earth. We will need to be comforted when we are in trouble. We will need counseling when we are unsure of what to do and get help from God when we are going through the tribulation.
In Verse 34, Jesus who is seated at the right hand of the Heavenly Father is also interceding for us. He is standing between us and the devil pleading our case before God; He is our mediator, advocate and intercessor. He will let the Father know that we belong to Him and that our sins have been completely wiped off. We can have peace with the Father. We are in Him; therefore, we are accepted in the beloved, seen as righteous, blameless and a child of God! Our deliverance is on the way.
However, know that the devil is also active while Jesus is interceding for us.
Rev 12:10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.
Luke 22:32 But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”
God doesn’t want us just to survive the sifting brought about by the devil. He wants us to be more than survivors! He wants us to have a personal breakthrough and thereafter strengthen people who are also going through a time of sifting.
Jesus taught us to love our enemies, bless those who persecute us. God can make use of us. He will not act contrary to what He has taught us even when we fumble! Even if we have fumbled from time to time, it is within God’s family and the devil has no right to meddle with us!
It is God’s desire for us to journey with people who are going through a very difficult period of their lives. Not only does God want us to journey with them but He also wants to use us to strengthen them. We are to strengthen them with the word and prayers!
We are blessed to be a blessing in many aspects!
Sermon Series: Don’t Crack Under Pressure
