(The following is the April 1 devotional from my Next Step Devotions book. Before reading it, I suggest you read Luke 22 and pay close attention to verses 31-34.)

All Christians battle sin. We are victorious over the Devil’s schemes at times, thanks to the Holy Spirit in us. Other times we fail. Those failures can be discouraging and sometimes overwhelming.

Peter experienced his worst spiritual failure denying Jesus three times on the night of Jesus’ arrest. When the reality of the denials hit him, Peter wept bitterly (v. 62). He would later be restored and allowed to affirm his love for Jesus three times, but Peter did not yet know restoration was coming. Peter placed his faith in himself and his strength to be “ready to go with you both to prison and to death” (v. 33). But Jesus knew better, and Peter, sadly, denied knowing Jesus.

The apostle missed a critical point when Jesus told him: “I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail” (v. 32). Jesus himself – the Son of God – had prayed for Peter. It appears Peter missed that part of Jesus’ comment and focused on his own strength instead. We might have done the same if we were in Peter’s position.

How might Peter’s actions have been different if he had focused on Jesus’ prayer for him? Would he have stood firm and proudly acknowledged when asked by bystanders that not only did he know Jesus but that he believed him to be “the Messiah, the Son of the living God” as he had earlier affirmed (Matt. 16:16).

There is “one mediator between God and humanity, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 2:5). Just as Jesus prayed for Peter, he has prayed for all believers, including us. Knowing that our heavenly mediator prays for us should strengthen us to face any situation.

Next Step:  

Read John 17:20-26 and note where Jesus prayed for you as a believer. How meaningful is it that God the Son – our great intercessor and mediator – has prayed for you?