Trials and Temptations

³¹ 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.” (Luke 22 NKJV)

Who would have ever thought that Jesus would have let the devil have any of His followers? Judas was allowed to be tempted by the devil just as Peter was. What is the difference between the two men that Jesus prayed for the one and yet there is no indication in Scripture that He prayed for Judas. It could be there was a difference in the men’s hearts.

God knew from the beginning that Judas would be Christ’s betrayer. He planned it that way. Predestined you may ask. No; foreknowledge. Just because God knows who will do what does not mean He makes them do it. The only predestination God tells us about is that we all have been predestined to be like His Son. Some disregard their God given choice and choose poorly.

Does Jesus pray for us? Of course He does. Does He allow Satan to tempt us? Of course He does. From the beginning God has allowed man to be tempted by Satan. Jesus was as well. Jesus overcame the temptations and thereby has the authority to intercede for us.  He took our place on the Cross and He takes our place in temptations; if we are willing to let Him. If we have never accepted Him as our Savior we cannot expect Him to be our intercessor in temptation.

How about you today? Are you tempted beyond measure? Can you not seem to shake that one temptation that you always give into? Could it be that you have never allowed Christ to intercede for your sins? Kneel at the Cross first then you will be able to stand in the face of temptation. Then you can give encouragement to someone else that needs it to overcome.