The Sifting of Faith

Luke 22:31,32: 31
"Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you (all) like wheat; 32but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers."

Whether it be Peter, Job (Job 1:12, 2:6), the Apostles (John 17:6-19), or all disciples of Christ (John 17:20-26; Phil 1:29), Satan has asked to sift us like wheat. As on Good Friday, this should be a sobering thought. Satan has a lot of power in this world. Jesus calls him the "prince" or "ruler of this world" (John 16:11), and Paul calls him the "god of this age" (2 Corinthians 4:4) and the "ruler of the authority of the air" (Ephesians 2:2). He blinds the minds of unbelievers (2 Corinthians 4:4) and holds them in his snare until God releases them through the gospel (2 Timothy 2:25,26). He can take life, as with Job's children; ruin health, as with Job's body; torment with demons (Luke 11:18); provoke evil deeds (Luke 22:3); and cause natural disasters (Job 1:19).

I tend to see the world in black and white - God is good therefore His work is good; Satan is evil therefore his work is evil. Now there may be some argument as to the source of evil or "bad things" that happen in one's life. It is true that God allows trial and temptation into our lives (either by His hand or through His hand); however, it is also true that God Himself has not created evil nor does God tempt as stated in James 1:13. In the Greek, there are different words to describe trials:

Trials: 1) [peirasmos] meant to fail, usually from Satan
2) [dokimion] reveals value, test from God
(we don't get to know which type of trial happens when)

And again in referencing Job chapters 1 and 2, when God allows trial and temptation it is Satan that does the work [drops the mic].

The sweet part of this, as also with Good Friday, is that Christ is Victor!

“He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son” (Col. 1:13).

“Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

“But you, O LORD, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head” (Psalm 3:3).

SIDE NOTE: What is more, unlike other faiths, we have a risen Lord that is ALIVE!
Abraham and Moses - dead, Buddah - dead, Muhamid - dead,
Jesus - alive; which gives us living hope!

Our faith will be tested, although; as long as you cleave to Christ, faith will not fail. Yes, as followers of Christ we are to expect to be "sifted like wheat".
To me this means sin is demonic and (in the words of John Piper), "[t]he fact that Satan has such power in the world should give a kind of seriousness to our lives which unbelievers don't have."

This is what i am asking all of us to ponder. How serious do take sin, how serious do you take your life's purpose and (most importantly) how seriously do you take your faith?

“Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8).

For a great sermon on this topic check out:
"The Sifting of Simon Peter" by John Piper