There are no sweeter words to here than to have someone tell you they have prayed for you. They are especially sweet when they come from Christ Himself. Most likely you have had people to tell you they would pray for you, and they never spoke your name to God in prayer. And you’ve probably told someone you would pray for them, but God never heard from you on their behalf. Sometimes we don’t know what to say when we hear of a personal need in someone’s life, so we cordially say, “I will pray for you.”
The apostle Peter didn’t ask for prayer, but Christ knew he would need it. Jesus knew in advance what was about to happen in Peter’s life, just like He does in ours. Satan was asking to “sift” Peter and test his faith. And you have to wonder, why didn’t Jesus just say, “But I have stopped him.” Instead, we read, “But I have prayed for you.” Luke 22:32
I believe prayer stops Satan’s ultimate plan for our lives. His plan is not only to test and shake our faith, but to completely remove it. Think about it, if Satan can’t take you out of this world, the next most devastating blow is to take your faith in God out of you. But Jesus prays for even you! Praise God! In Romans 8, we are told Jesus sits to the right hand of the Father making intercession. He knows what to pray for you. He knows what you are about to go through. He knows the outcome, because He is praying trusting the Father to grant His request. Jesus told Peter, “But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”
Imagine Peter’s life had Jesus not prayed. He would have been lost and so would we, but Jesus says, “I have prayed for you.” Take it personally and live in that strength today. Believe today that Christ has prayed for you, and the next time you tell someone you are going to pray for them, just stop and do it right then!
I am inspired by the word.