Peter was a man of boldness, yet also a man of weakness. We tend to focus on his failure in the courtyard—the threefold denial of his Lord. But Peter’s sifting did not begin at that fire. It started the moment Judas and Malchus arrived to arrest Jesus.
“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.” (Luke 22:31-32, NLT)
Satan is not your friend
Satan had demanded to sift Peter like wheat, and the test began when Peter drew his sword. With a single swing, he cut off Malchus’ ear, revealing his misunderstanding of Christ’s kingdom. Had Jesus not intervened—had He not healed the man—Peter’s fate might have been sealed. Malchus was no ordinary servant; he belonged to the high priest. His injury could have been used as evidence that Jesus and His followers were violent insurrectionists. Peter’s actions, if left unchecked, could have undermined Christ’s very mission. Yet, in His mercy, Jesus restored Malchus’ ear, not only undoing the harm Peter had caused but also preserving Peter from the consequences of his own rashness.
Jesus is his saint’s friend
And still, Peter’s sifting was not over. Just hours later, he stood by the fire and denied the very One he had been so eager to defend. But Jesus had already made a promise: “I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith will not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:32, BSB). That prayer was Peter’s anchor.
What a comfort this is! We, too, face times of sifting. We falter, we stumble, and we fail. But Jesus, our great High Priest, ever lives to intercede for us (Hebrews 7:25). Just as He prayed for Peter, He prays for His people today. And just as Peter was restored, we too can find grace to stand again.
Let us take heart, knowing that though we are sifted, we will not be lost—for Jesus Himself holds us fast. Peter fell, but he was not forsaken. Jesus’ prayer sustained him. And after His resurrection, Jesus restored Peter fully (John 21:15-17). Three times he had denied Christ. Three times Jesus reaffirmed His love and mission: “Feed My sheep.” The sifting was over. Peter was not forsaken—he was wheat, refined through trial.
The unlikely is healed
We must not miss what Christ did for Malchus. In a moment of divine mercy, Jesus restored Malchus’ ear. This miracle was His last before the Cross. He healed an enemy. His ear would be an eternal reminder of God’s Christ. Jesus brought a far greater healing to all who call upon Him to be saved. “Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19, BSB).
Peter denied Christ, but his denial was not the final word. The blood of Jesus covered his failure. Peter was restored. Peter’s story is our story. We all have moments where we fail, where fear overtakes faith, where we make choices that could have long-term consequences. But hear this:
1. Jesus does not lose those whom the Father has given Him. If you belong to Christ, your failures do not define you—His intercession does.
2. Satan desires to sift us, but Christ is stronger. The enemy will try to shake us, but Jesus is our foundation.
3. Jesus prays for His own. Even before we fail, He intercedes for us. His advocacy ensures our restoration.
4. Christ’s blood erases our sins—completely. Just like Malchus’ ear, our guilt is gone. God does not hold our sins against us.
What about you?
Have you failed? Do you feel the weight of your mistakes? Know this: Christ’s prayers uphold you. His grace is greater than your failure.
Peter heard the rooster’s cry, but he would also hear the voice of his risen Lord. Jesus prayed for him, restored him, and used him mightily. Are you in need of healing this morning? As He did for Peter, He will do the same for you. While Satan sifts, Jesus secures. Though we fail, He restores. Though we sin, His blood erases it—like it never happened.
Will you trust in Him today? May we all, like Peter, move from failure to faithfulness, from sifting to service, and from shame to glory—because Jesus has prayed for us.
Amen.
Cross References:
Isaiah 53:5 – “But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.”
Hebrews 7:25 – “Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them.”
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