Jesus Foretells Peter's Denial Luke 22:31-34 ---- Stronger through Trials

When something happens, do you focus on the failure or the recovery?
We are quick to point out Peter's pride and failure in his denial of Christ but forget about the before when Jesus interceded for him and the after when Peter became strong enough to lead the church delegated by Jesus. We learn God cares for us and will lead us through the trials and become victorious despite our earlier failures. The lesson we should remember about Peter's denial of Christ is only "we will be stronger through trials".

See also "Change the direction of your thinking and you will get a different answer & wisdom"

Lessons:

• God is concerned about our welfare, our sufferings, and fears, and will help us to go through and come out of them.
  • Philippians 1:6: "Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."
  • 1 Peter 5:7: "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."
  • Psalm 46:1: "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble."
• There is Spiritual Warfare - Satan will use all kinds of trials to defeat us.
• Our faith is strengthened through trials.
  • James 1:2-4: "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
  • 1 Peter 1:6-7: "In all this, you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed."
  • Romans 5:3-5: "Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us."
  • Mencius (孟子) 天将降大任于斯人也，必先苦其心志，劳其筋骨，饿其体肤，空乏其身，行拂乱其所为，所以动心忍性，曾益其所不能。"When Heaven is about to confer a great responsibility on any man, it will exercise his mind with suffering, subject his sinews and bones to hard work, expose his body to hunger, put him into poverty, and place obstacles in the paths of his deeds, so as to stimulate his mind, toughen his nature, and enhance his abilities."
• We need to be Self-Aware and humble. Do not, out of ego and pride, boast of things that we really could not do.
• After our recovery, we need to strengthen others as we are strengthened by others.
  • 1 Thessalonians 5:11: "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing."
• Are you going through trials?
  • Come to Jesus. Ask for help Phil 4:6-7. Trust and give thanks that He will lead you through.
  • Philippians 4:6-7: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."