Sift Away Satan, Sift Away

"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat." – Luke 22:31 (NIV)

"Satan has asked"…many of us are of the belief that Satan has free reign to do whatever he wants to do on this earth, and for the most part, that may be true, however, it is clear from Luke 22:31, that when it comes to those in relationship with Jesus – born-again children of God – he must ask. But from who does Satan seek permission "to sift all of you"?

"Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them." – Job 1:6, also 2:1 (JUB)

There are days and then there’s that one particular day when Satan, mixing in with the angels, presents himself before God to ask permission to sift you. Permission is required from God. And now that you know this, another question arises: Why, as a child of God, should God grant Satan permission to sift you?

You must keep in mind that Satan is prowling around the earth like a roaring lion looking for prey, ready to pounce at the mere sign of weakness (1 Peter 5:8). He is an astute strategist who studies his prey carefully. He is looking out for even the tiniest chink in your armor – any kind of emotional instability, angry outbursts, spiritual immaturity, pride, self-righteousness, greed, rage, bitterness, if you’re easily offended, hasty, emotionally wounded, and fearful.

Satan’s greatest ally is fear. Fear gives Satan cause to move against you; he will use your fear as his compelling reason for proving his case against you before God, just as he did with Job. When you operate in fear, you give Satan a legal right to put his hands on you (see Job 1:12; 2;6) and God is legally bound to remove His hedge of protection from around you. Satan couldn’t care less about your good attributes or your great works, he is keeping a keen eye out for those skeletons hidden in the back of your closet – your craven fears.

Cheer up, it’s not all bad news because even though Satan has been given permission to sift, there are boundaries that he’s not allowed to cross. God always sets the boundaries. As crafty, powerful and clever as Satan is, he is still a created being, just like the rest of us. Created by God, and therefore subordinate to God and, like the ocean, only able to venture as far as God permits (Job 2:6). As God’s own, Satan can only lift a finger against you under divine imposed limitations, and God will use these times of physical misery for a spiritual purpose. Look at what Jesus told Peter right after he let him know about the sifting.

"But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers." – Luke 22:32 (NIV)

God will use this time of sifting as a set up for His glory to be manifested in you and through you, to give you a testimony to share with others so that by it their faith might be strengthened. He will work all things together for your good and His glory (Romans 8:28).

God is the only one who determines the outcome of your life. He does not gamble with the lives of His children. He has already established a great plan for you. Beloved, even if you have to suffer a little while, know that at the end of it all the genuineness of your faith will be proven and you’ll be as refined as fire refines gold, so, sift away Satan, sift away.

Sift Away Satan, Sift Away    Shelley Johnson 07-Jun-2016