speaker tonight. I met Alan, he is a director with GFA. And his passion is to go and help especially colleges and people on the ground. And so he ended up coming up and meeting with us. And, and we started working out all of those details. And God allowed that to happen. We are very blessed to have a college based out of our church, we would never have had Jim Berg here last week. If we didn't have a college here, we've had a lot of great speakers. because of what God did and Pastor Talbert's heart to come up here and start a college, and we have reaped the benefits of that as a church. But also, there was a few bumps along the way when we were first getting started, and Alan kind of came to help us work out all those details, and I think we've done that very well. I appreciate your help to our ministry, and it's a blessing to have you here tonight if you'd come. Well, it's been a delight, really, to see the Lord develop the college and how he has used Pastor Tillotson and this church in doing that. As Pastor mentioned, one of the responsibilities I have, actually it's a privilege, And that is to try to encourage the development of Bible colleges and Bible institutes around the world. And this year we've been in South Africa to try to encourage a little Bible Institute down there. And last year we were in Mexico and Puerto Rico. And it's just it's just a thrill to see God raising up his workers. And you don't have to have a large college to have something that God is using. We trust he will continue to prosper what you're doing here, but we appreciate Pastor Tillotson and how he has encouraged this all along and been a real friend to to Bud Talbert and the connection. You might wonder, why am I here? Well, it was really just to see the college in action. I wasn't taking the class with Dr. Berg. I've had that class before. We've actually at our mission, we have sat through the other director and his wife and my wife has sat through all those classes and crisis counseling and it's excellent, excellent study. And Dr. Berg is a friend and a colleague. But the Lord has especially gifted him in that area and as a teacher, making it plain to people. So if you didn't get to hear that, I don't know, is that available in any way? for people to... Duncan, is that available for anybody somehow? I don't know about those materials, but if you could ever get that course, it would be a real help to you because we all face these issues ourselves and we know people who face those issues. Bud is actually my brother-in-law. My wife, Jan, is here tonight. And Jan, could you raise your hand or stand up or something? So, Bud and Debbie, And we had a double wedding. I don't know if you knew that, but it's been a source of joy to us down through the years. That means we had the wedding. All of us got married at the same time, pretty much. And we had two separate ceremonies, but it all happened in the same ceremony. I don't know how to explain that, but anyway. We had a double wedding and when we've had major anniversaries, we've tried to get together. And so a few years ago, we were able to go to England and Scotland. And I believe some of you might be going on a tour over there with him sometime. I'm not sure about that, but we appreciate Bud and Debbie and their ministry. And of course, the girls are here tonight and it's good to see them and have fellowship with them. If you would turn in your Bibles to Luke chapter 22. Luke chapter 22. This message has been on my heart most of this year, and I have preached it a time or two already. But it's really struck me when I was reading through this passage and I was reminded that Satan wanted to sift Peter. Satan wanted to sift Peter, that's the terminology used. Does he want to sift you, or is it just people like Peter who are apostles? What do you think? Do you think Satan wants to sift you? Well, he does. And so, tonight, I think, hopefully, our study will be useful to you as a believer who is in the world, and you are facing the opposition of our enemy, and we need to know how to respond. So, if you would look at Luke chapter 22, And I will begin reading in verse 24 to set the stage here. There's something here that I noticed as I was studying this that I never noticed before. And it's very important as we try to figure out how we respond to Satan's sifting and Satan's attacks on us. Says in verse 24, there was also a strife among them. Among them, who are they? It's the apostles. So we're getting close to the cross. They've been with him for many years. And now right at the verge of the cross, they're disputing about who's the greatest. Have they learned anything? Well, they've learned a lot, but they still are in need of learning. So there's a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. So he said unto them. The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so. But he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger and he that is chief as he that doth serve. For which is greater, he that dineth or he that serveth? Is it not he that dineth? But I am among you, as he that serveth." So, Jesus' rebuke to them is, you need to be servants. Well, after that, he gives them some praise. He says, You are they who have continued with me in my trials or temptations. And I appoint unto you a kingdom. So these people who are struggling with pride and arrogance and determining who's first, to them, he says, nevertheless, I am giving you a kingdom. As my father hath appointed unto me, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. So there's a rich heritage in front of them, or there's a rich promise in front of them. of sitting on thrones and judging the tribes of Israel in the millennium. But verse 31, And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you. To literally, if you notice to have is in italics, you could translate this simply, Satan has desired you. He desires you that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not. And when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren." Well, Peter says, as he typically does in his impulsive way, well, how does he respond to this statement that Satan desires to see a few? Is he intimidated? Is he concerned? Is he humbled? He says unto him, Lord, I'm ready to go with Thee both into prison and to death. And so, Jesus says, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me. So, as we think about the concept of being tested by Satan's sifting, we need to understand that Satan is very active. Even as we approach the cross where he will be, in a very real sense, defeated, he is very active. And if you just turn back, maybe you don't have to turn, it might be on the same page, but look at verse 3 of chapter 22. Then entered Satan into Judas. Surname Iscariot. So is Satan active at this time? Yes. Is Satan active at this time in our day? Well, the answer is yes. And as we try to figure out how to deal with this effort of Satan, we need to understand that if he attacked Simon, whose name was changed to what? Peter. Why was his name changed to Peter? Was that a good thing or a bad thing? That was a good thing. Jesus was saying to him, Simon, based on your testimony and your confession of faith in Me as the Messiah, I'm going to change your name to the rock. But here, the rock is very unstable. It's more like sand, quicksand, wet sand. The rock is not so stable. So Satan is going to sift him. So how do we deal with this? Well, number one, You need to know that Satan desires you and me too. If you would turn, we're going to have about three or four texts that we'll look at, and none of these are particularly difficult or long, but you'll need to turn to 1 Peter chapter 5. I want you to see that Satan is very active. He desires to sift you and me, and this is not something we can take lightly. In 1 Peter chapter 5, Verse 8, and we'll look at this text in a little more detail in a few minutes. But for now, notice it says, Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary, the devil, like a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. In the book of Job, we know that Satan came looking. Actually, God invited him to look at Job and to test Job. So, Satan is very active. God says, where have you been? He says, I've been all over the earth looking, looking around, looking for someone and apparently doing what he does in 1 Peter and that is looking for someone to devour. So, he's very active. He talks in verse 9 here of 1 Peter. If you're still there, I actually turned away from it. But the next verse is also important if you would see that. He says, Whom resists steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world." So, all around the world, he is accomplishing these same types of temptations and testings and afflictions. So, the first thing is to understand that Satan desires you and he desires me. Desires to sift us. You can expect, as a believer, to be sifted. It may be that even tonight you feel like Satan is sifting you. Or you might be like Peter and you might be unaware of the danger and you might just be totally gullible and glib about the danger. But know that Satan desires to sift you and he desires to sift me. Secondly, we need to understand that before glory comes the testing and the temptation, the sifting by Satan. None of God's people are exempt. from testing by Satan. Even Jesus Himself was not exempt. We think of good men like Job. We think of good men like Joseph. And they were tested. And so, how do you actually handle this? We need some help with this. We know that it's going to happen. We know we're going to be sifted. We know Satan, like a roaring lion, is looking to devour you. And I teach the history of missions. And one of the people we talk about as we discuss the history of Christian missions is David Livingston. I don't know if you know his story, but he was there in Africa and someone had shot a lion and didn't kill it. And that lion attacked Livingston and got a big chunk, big bite on his left shoulder. was shaking him, he says, like a dog shakes a rat. And it was seeking to devour him. And if that had not been shot, and also if it had not been distracted by some other things going on, it would have devoured him. And that's what Satan's trying to do. So how do we respond to this? What are the difficulties? If you'll go back now to Luke 22, 28, you'll see that Jesus Himself talks about his trials, or you could translate it his temptations. So let's think about Jesus temptation. And if you'll turn back just a few chapters to Luke chapter four, we'll see some principles about how to deal with these temptations of Satan. So Luke chapter four will give us some principles that we'll be able to use as we go forward in our battle with the devil. Luke chapter four. First of all, it says, Jesus, being full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. Now, there's a principle there that is not what we would expect, really. Is Jesus in the will of God? Perfectly. He is led by the Spirit. He is filled by the Spirit. And the Spirit leads him right into what place? The wilderness. For what purpose? He is in the will of God. He is led directly into the wilderness. And there, he is going to be tempted by the devil. So, you can be in the perfect will of God, and you'll still be tempted by the devil. Okay? So, don't think you're going to be exempt from this. And don't be surprised if you are doing the will of God, serving Him faithfully, and you are sifted by Satan severely, because Jesus Himself was. So how did He deal with this? You know these principles, but it's good to review them. The devil said in verse 3, if you be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread. So what do you do when Satan tells you to do something that You know, maybe you could do it. And maybe in itself, it wouldn't be an evil thing. Is it an evil thing to turn a stone into bread? No, it's not an evil thing. But Jesus says you're focusing. He says to Satan, you're focusing on the wrong thing. You're focusing on bread. I'm focusing on something else. This is my priority. What does Jesus say? Quotes from Deuteronomy. And he says, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. Sometimes we might think, well, you know, there are places in the Bible that are a little bit difficult. I don't like to read those. I'd like to skip over those. Recently, we were in a church in Alabama and there was a man that had been invited to come and he had a he had a life sized tabernacle set up. Well, that was really helpful to me because it happens at that time I was reading in the book of Leviticus. And Leviticus is a little bit difficult to understand, but here's this man who gives tours of this tabernacle that he has set up and he's made everything to scale. I mean, not to scale. He's made everything to the exact size. If a size is given in the Scriptures, he makes it to that size. The Holy of Holies, the Ark of the Covenant, the labor, the bronze altar, everything. So that was helpful. Every Word of God is important. But Jesus says His response, the way He handles it, is to go to the Word of God, right? You cannot resist Satan without using the Word of God. And every word is as important, and it's really more important, than your daily bread. So, have you been in the Word today? We probably all ate. One or two meals, maybe three by now. I don't know. Have we read the word? Man shall not live. You cannot live without the word. So Jesus uses Scripture. However, Satan also uses Scripture. Notice what happens next. Jesus answered him there. And then the devil takes him to a high mountain and says, I'll give you all this glory. And Jesus says, get behind me, Satan, you should worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve. Again, using the word now in verse nine, Satan takes him to the pinnacle of the temple, says, if you be the son of God, cast yourself down for it is written. He'll give His angels charge over thee to keep thee. In their hands they'll bear thee up, lest at any time you dash your foot against the stone." So, Satan himself uses Scripture, so that's not the only thing we do. What's the problem with the way Satan uses Scripture? The problem is, and this is very subtle, but the problem is he misquotes, he leaves things out, or he takes it out of context, or he misapplies it. But he does use it. So for us to overcome the lion that's trying to devour us, we have to use Scripture. But secondly, we have to use Scripture properly interpreted in its context. So that's why you need those to teach you the Word of God. That's why you need to be careful. There are false teachers all around the world. Every cult uses Scripture. The Jehovah's Witnesses use Scripture. The Mormons use Scripture. The Muslims use Scripture. We have to use Scripture properly interpreted in context. Satan knows Scripture, but it's in his head. It's not in his heart. He misuses Scripture. And because he does that, we should not use it, right? Since Satan's going to take it and he's going to twist it, so we shouldn't use it. No, don't fall for that. We use the Scripture because we know, by the way, Satan knows its power. It has power and he knows that, and that's why he's trying to attack it and twist it and pervert it. So, we use Scripture properly, interpret it. A third thing that we have to have, and this is why I mentioned we need to read those verses in context. You can go back now to Luke chapter 22. I began reading in verse 24. Why did I do that? Why would I start back in 24? What does it have to do with Satan sifting Peter? Well, I wondered that, but then I began to notice the other context. In 1 Peter, we will see this. There's another reference in James about Satan and what we're supposed to do. In every one of these contexts, you have the same theme. And that is the need for humility. Why does Jesus, why does the writer Luke actually insert at this point that information about these apostles arguing about who is greatest? Because he is trying to teach us that there's a need for humility. Are you going to resist Satan? If you are, then you have to have a humility before the Lord. And a fourth thing that we have to do is to pray. That's what Jesus did. He's actually facing his worst, his strongest temptation here in this chapter. He's going to go into the garden. And he himself is so tested that the thought comes to his mind that maybe he should try to avoid this trial of the cross. Now, having the thought is not sinful. All of us think sometimes, you know, I would like to avoid that trial. I'd like to avoid that temptation or that difficulty. But The ultimate question is, is it the will of God? And he came to the conclusion again. Yes, not my will, but thine be done. But we see Jesus praying. In fact, he prays so hard that he sweats blood. So how do you overcome Satan? Well, you use Scripture. Secondly, you use Scripture properly interpreted. Thirdly, you must be humble, recognizing your utter inability to do this apart from God's help, then you must pray and then be encouraged that Jesus himself, as it says in Hebrews chapter 4 verse 15, was tempted in all points, yet without sin. You might think, well, he was God. He didn't really understand how prone I am to sin and how strong the temptation is. Well, maybe I could illustrate it this way. You know those Olympic weightlifters? Well, I didn't check to see, but they lift hundreds of pounds, right? And they can do this over their heads. Do you know what it's like to lift hundreds of pounds over your head and keep it there for however long they have to keep it? Probably none of you here, none of us here, know what it's like to lift. How many pounds is that? Anybody know what the Olympic record is to do that? You know where they hold it and they stand and they shake and they keep it there? Can any of you do that? If I tried that, it would probably crush me, right? I mean, seriously, it would ruin my back forever. Well, not forever, but for a long time. Those guys know what it means to lift, let's just say, 700 pounds. Jesus knows the full weight of your temptations. You and I, we don't know the full power of temptation because we give in before we get to the full strength of it. But he understands better than you do how strong that temptation is because he exhausted all of those without sin. So that's how Jesus responded to temptation. How do we do it? Well, we pretty much do the same thing, number one. And I want you to now to see the context I was talking about. Go to James chapter four, if you would. This is our other text. that gives us information about Satan's work in the life of a believer. James, right after Hebrews, James chapter 4. And I want you to see something. I want you to notice the context here. It says, beginning in verse 6 of James 4, But he giveth more grace, wherefore he saith, God resisted the proud, but give us grace unto the humble. Now, notice the next verse. Submit yourselves, therefore, to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Verse 10. Well, let me just keep reading, I'll just read the next three or four verses, draw near to God. And He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners, and purify your hearts, ye double-minded. Be afflicted and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up." So you have in verse 7 this statement about resisting the devil and he will flee from you. But what do you have that is sandwiched between texts that deal with what? Humility. God resists the proud, but He gives grace to the humble. Why is that in that context? Why does it go on and talk about being afflicted and mourning and then humbling yourselves? Because humility is critical to defeating Satan. You say, in order to defeat him, I have to be weak? Well, you have to acknowledge weakness. You have to acknowledge That you have no power in yourself to overcome Him. What does it mean to humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord? Well, it means to acknowledge that you have no power. It means to acknowledge that you're prone to sin. It means to acknowledge that if you don't abide in Him, you can do nothing. It means to acknowledge that Satan is stronger than you are. It means to acknowledge that left to yourself, you would fall. It means to be just the opposite of Peter and say, Lord, I'll die for you without even taking it through and counting the cost. So humility is in every one of these contexts. It's in Luke. It's in 1 Peter. If you'll go to 1 Peter, I want you to see that context as well. Go back to 1 Peter, chapter 5. I didn't read this verse. But I want you to see the context. Verse 6, 1 Peter 5 and verse 6, Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you. Now be sober, be awake, be vigilant, because your adversary, the devil, like a roaring lion, walking about, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. So in that context, again, you have this demand, this require requirement for humility. And of course, we must use the word. And of course, we must pray. Well, as we think about the danger and the strength of Satan and how he wants to to sift us, there are a number of encouragements to us that I want to conclude with tonight. that I think will be a help to us. Number one, I want you to be encouraged, not intimidated by these truths, with this fact. Number one, God gives grace to those who are humble. God gives grace to those who are humble. You say, well, how do I know if I'm humble? Well, when you pray, do you say things to the Lord like, I can't do this? I have to have your help. You know, when I preach, I think almost without exception, I say before I preach, Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner. Because I can't do this, I'm a sinner. I have to have your help. There's nothing that could be accomplished apart from you. Be humble. Acknowledge that you have to have His help. Here's another test for humility. Can you rejoice when others use their gifts and maybe have gifts that you don't have? Can you rejoice when you see others use those gifts for the glory and the building up of the body of Christ? You know, it's very easy. You know, as a teacher, I could look at Jim Berg and say, wow, Dr. Berg is a really gifted teacher. I don't have that. I don't have that same. Giftedness or level of giftedness, I can envy him. I don't think I do. I rejoice that God uses this man. But. How about how is it with you? Can you rejoice that others have gifts and maybe recognition that you don't have? That's a hard thing. You say, well, oh, that's not so difficult. Well, the Apostle John found it difficult. The Apostle Peter found it difficult. They're still arguing about it just before Jesus goes to the cross. Humility. If you have it, God will give you grace. Another thing that should be encouraging to all of us, and we won't turn to this text because I think you know it, but in Hebrews chapter 7, verse 25, it talks about our high priest, Christ. And what is he doing? It says he ever lives to make intercession for us. What did it say in Luke 22, do you remember? What did Jesus say to Peter? Satan desires to sift you, but I have prayed for you." What do you think would have happened to Peter if Jesus hadn't prayed for him? Well, we don't know. That's speculation. But the implication would be he would have fallen much further than he did and probably never gotten up. It's a great encouragement to me to realize that my high priest ever lives to make intercession for me, and he's praying for me right now. So be encouraged by that. Number three, be encouraged with the fact that James tells us if we resist Satan, what will he do? What was it? He will flee. Now, that doesn't mean he's gone forever. We wish. But there are times when he has to flee. When we resist him, he will flee. He cannot have a victory when we resist him by faith. Being strong in faith, as it says in 1 Peter chapter 5. So, he will flee if we will submit to God. But, if you are rebellious, and if I don't submit to God, what does that imply? That implies that I'm going to be a sitting duck for Satan. And I've seen a lot of ducks lately. We were over in Saskatoon before we came here. It's very wet over there. A lot of water, sloughs, and lakes everywhere. And lots of ducks. And some of them are just sitting there. You know, if you had a gun, you could make duck soup. Jesus says, submit to me and I'll give you grace. But by implication, if you don't, you're going to be in big trouble. So how is it tonight? Are you submissive to God and his will for you? Number four, it's very encouraging to know that Jesus himself was tempted in all these points yet without sin. And then it goes on to say, this is in Hebrews 4, do you know what the next verse is where it talks about him being tempted yet without sin? Let me just read that verse to you. Maybe you're not thinking about that one recently, but this is a great promise. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. So, Jesus has overcome And he says we can come to him and find mercy. Here's another point that really encourages me. What if Satan gets a victory for a while in your life? What if? What happened with Peter? Remember this? Jesus said, you're going to deny me three times. That's a pretty serious. That's a very serious fall. Actually, Jesus has said another text, if you deny me before me and I'll deny you before the Father. So that's really your heart's bent. You're not even a believer. But a believer can fall. And fall seriously. Like Peter did. And what happened? That was the end. He's done for. It's all over. Right? Wrong. Jesus said, I pray for you. And if you'll remember in that text, it's amazing. But Jesus says, when you are converted, strengthen thy brethren. Converted doesn't mean saved. It just means when you've turned back, when you've repented. Strengthen the brethren. Here's a weak man. Don't you think it's pretty weak to deny Christ three times, just out boldly, bluntly, brazenly say, I don't know Him. I don't know Him. Oh yeah, I spent three and a half years with Him, but I don't know Him. That's weak. That's serious. But Jesus says, when you've repented, and He did, right? Remember? Christ looked at Him and He went out and wept bitterly and turned back and Jesus said, I can use you to strengthen the brethren. This weak man God's going to use to strengthen? Yes. So be encouraged that though the trying may be severe and you may even fall, you can strengthen the brethren. Another point. It's very encouraging, is this. What does Satan want to do? He wanted to sift. OK, what does sifting do? Is that a bad thing? Is that a negative thing? When you sift flour, do you do that because you want to make it worse or want to make it better? You want to purify it, right? Get the bugs out in some of our mission fields. All kinds of live bugs in there. that they're sifting out, the end result is something that is more pure and more usable, right? So we say, well, I don't want to be sifted. Well, I don't either, but on the other hand, if the result is a more pure product, a better product, a refined product that's more usable, that's good. That's good. So, you say, well, I've really been sifted. Satan's really put it to me. I've been through all kinds of trials and temptations. Well, have you turned back to God? Maybe you never left Him. I mean, being tempted doesn't mean you necessarily fall. But the sifting is good because it produces a refined product. Now, I would close with just kind of a warning and also some instruction. You probably know the text in 1 Corinthians 10. It says, There has no temptation taken you, but such as is what? Common to man. It's very easy to think Satan has singled us out. We're facing something no one else has ever faced. But the fact is, that is just not true. Others have faced the same thing. Remember what it says in 1 Peter? The same afflictions. So, what does he say in the next verse in 1 Corinthians 10? No temptation is taken you, but such as is common to man, but God is faithful. He'll provide a way of escape, but let him that thinks What? He stands, take heed, lest he fall. So, my challenge to you tonight would be, do you think you stand? Then take heed. You might be in for a big fall. But if you will be, as it says here in 1 Peter, be sober, be vigilant, then you won't fall. And you can resist him. And then in verse 10 it says, God, after you have suffered a while, will perfect you. He will establish you. That's what he did with Peter. He will strengthen you. He will settle you. And you will be able... Wouldn't that be a blessing? After that sifting, you will be able to strengthen the brethren. Don't you desire to do that? Don't you desire to be used in that way? Satan desires to sift you and me. By the way, I'm not going to go back to that text, but the first reference there in verse 31, I believe it is, is actually plural. It wasn't simply Peter that he was after. Now, in the next verse, it says the singular. But the verse before that says Satan has desired to sift you and that's plural. So it's not just Satan he's looking or Peter he's looking at. Satan desires to sift you too. and me. But we can have victory. And even when we fall, if we return, He will give us grace and He will enable us even to be a blessing and a help to others. Let's close in prayer. Our Father, we thank You tonight for the guidance You've given us as we face being sifted by Satan. We know he is a lion. He is going about, going to and fro in the earth. And what is he doing? He's looking for someone to devour. And no doubt there are people here, really all of us that have been sifted at one time or another, maybe someone facing severe sifting right this moment, even today. We thank You that Jesus is praying for us. We pray for that one, or those several maybe, that You would strengthen their hands. Help them to be firm, steadfast in the faith. Help them to resist and submit to God. And Lord, there may be some who have fallen, as Peter did, and denied Christ. We pray that you would give them repentance. Help them to be encouraged to come back and know that Jesus is gracious and forgiving to the repentant heart. We pray that you might use some of them even to strengthen others and be a help to others. We know this last week we've heard teaching about many areas of crises and abuse and sin and drugs and immorality and all these things that afflict us and mankind. And no doubt, many are looking for guidance, and we pray that you would help. We pray that you would refine us. We thank you for those times of sifting that have purified us and made us stronger. And we ask that You would continue that kind of work in our hearts. And we ask these things in Jesus' name, Amen.