He will never abandon you

"But I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail" (Luke 22:32). For me, this is one of the most encouraging verses of all Scripture. Peter suffered a severe ordeal and Jesus assured him that no matter what he was going to face, his faith would not fail.

Even though Peter denied Christ, God did not forsake him - not for a moment. This disciple who had been without fear, now broken and anxious because of his failure, was never given up to himself, not for a moment. And, beloved, we are not !

No matter what your trial may be - what suffering you endure or what grief you are going through - Jesus intercedes for you. At this very moment, in the midst of thy storms, He pleads thy cause, and He will never forsake thee.

In Luke 22:31 Jesus warns Peter that Satan wants to sift them as wheat, but at the end of verse 32 He gives a powerful exhortation : "And you, when you return to Me, strengthen your brethren."

Beloved, this is an assurance and an encouragement for all of us. The Lord of Creation holds us in His hand, and He tells us, as He said to Peter : "Arise, advance ! Do not focus on your failure, but work for My kingdom. Feed my sheep. Prevent those who are precious to me from the stratagems of the Enemy at work against them. And tell them that I hold them in My hands, in the midst of every trial."

David Wilkerson