FAITH CAPSULE: Give attention to the word of God as a warning to guide and direct you.
Deuteronomy 13
Undoubtedly, Jesus is the only author and finisher of our faith. Jesus is the only One that sees perfectly into the future. Jesus is not a prophet or dreamer of dreams that will take a place of deceiving man. Deuteronomy 13:1-3 warned, “If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods’—which you have not known—‘and let us serve them,’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.” Jesus prayed for Peter after seeing into the future that Peter was going to deny Him. The Bible recorded Jesus’ word to Peter, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you; that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” (Luke 22:31-32) Peter, trusted in his strength and determination when he responded to Jesus stating, “Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.” (Luke 22:33)
Are you a determined believer? Determination will not be enough to keep you from distancing from Jesus in these days of challenges. The prophets or a dreamer of dreams will miss lead you to become distance from walking in the Lord. Truly, prayer is the only key for believer’s preservation and deliverance. If Jesus had not prayed for Peter, it would have been devastating for Peter’s journey of faith. Jesus was not wrong but was right when He prayed for Peter saying, “But I have prayed for you; that your faith should not fail…” (Luke 22:32) Believers should grow to be giving self continually to prayer and the word of God instead of giving self to the word of man. Just as disciples needed prayer against temptation, today’s believers are not immune from temptation.
Jesus prophesied Peter’s move to deny Him in Luke 22:54-56, “Having arrested Him, they led Him and brought Him into the high priest’s house. But Peter followed at a distance. Now when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them. And a certain servant girl, seeing him as he sat by the fire, looked intently at him and said, “This man was also with Him.” Are you paying attention to the word of God as a warning but not to the word of lying prophet or a dreamer of dreams? The word of God is warning (Colossians 1:28) and we are to pay attention to the warning word of God.
Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace that your faith will not fail.