Jesus was about to go to the cross. Two of His disciples were involved in heavy spiritual warfare. One fatally yielded and that was Judas. The other faltered but the enemy didn’t win and that was Peter (Simon). Jesus told Peter beforehand how he would go astray.

Then Jesus told Peter something amazing. Jesus told him, He had pleaded in prayer to God for him. Wow! I would not have wanted to be in Peter’s shoes (or sandals) denying Jesus but what a great truth to know that Jesus had already stood with Peter for when he would be greatly tempted.

Jesus had been tempted by the enemy three times and He overcame. Peter didn’t overcome the three times he was tempted but later repented and went on to lead in spreading the Gospel to others.

Today, Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father praying for us 24/7. And thus we have what Jesus did for Peter!

Luke 22 ~

³¹ “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. ³² But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.”

³³ Peter said, “Lord, I am ready to go to prison with you, and even to die with you.”

³⁴ But Jesus said, “Peter, let me tell you something. Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.”

I love the verse Psalm 92:13!

About five years ago I started going to a new church. This was the prominent verse I saw. It says…Go to church! To me it says it better than the verse that tells us to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together.

Tonight I’m going to church. I pray this verse for everyone I know today!

Psalm 92 ~

⁸ But you, O Lord, will be exalted forever.
⁹ Your enemies, Lord, will surely perish;
    all evildoers will be scattered.
¹⁰ But you have made me as strong as a wild ox.
    You have anointed me with the finest oil.
¹¹ My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies;
    my ears have heard the defeat of my wicked opponents.
¹² But the godly will flourish like palm trees
    and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon.
¹³ For they are transplanted to the Lord’s own house.
    They flourish in the courts of our God.
¹⁴ Even in old age they will still produce fruit;
    they will remain vital and green.
¹⁵ They will declare, “The Lord is just!
    He is my rock!
    There is no evil in him!”

I pray these for every Christian I know today. We have tribulations in this world because Jesus said so. But with Jesus we overcome and we win today and everyday. And then, like the Bible says, we are more than conquerors and we help others conquer.

Psalm 91 ~

The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me.
    I will protect those who trust in my name.
¹⁵ When they call on me, I will answer;
    I will be with them in trouble.
    I will rescue and honor them.
¹⁶ I will reward them with a long life
    and give them my salvation.”

After Joshua, who carefully followed what God told him to do, died God intentionally left part of the Promised Land unconquered. In Judges 3, it tells whether or not the Israelites chose to follow God.

Joshua 2 ~

²⁰ So the Lord burned with anger against Israel. He said, “Because these people have violated my covenant, which I made with their ancestors, and have ignored my commands, ²¹ I will no longer drive out the nations that Joshua left unconquered when he died. ²² I did this to test Israel—to see whether or not they would follow the ways of the Lord as their ancestors did.” ²³ That is why the Lord left those nations in place. He did not quickly drive them out or allow Joshua to conquer them all.

Joshua 3 ~

3 These are the nations that the Lord left in the land to test those Israelites who had not experienced the wars of Canaan. ² He did this to teach warfare to generations of Israelites who had no experience in battle. ³ These are the nations: the Philistines (those living under the five Philistine rulers), all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites living in the mountains of Lebanon from Mount Baal-hermon to Lebo-hamath. ⁴ These people were left to test the Israelites—to see whether they would obey the commands the Lord had given to their ancestors through Moses.

⁵ So the people of Israel lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, ⁶ and they intermarried with them. Israelite sons married their daughters, and Israelite daughters were given in marriage to their sons. And the Israelites served their gods.