learn:  he must learn the deceitfulness and desperately wicked nature of his own heart.

Peter had an awful lot of religion he didn't know he possessed. When Jesus predicted that His friends would deny Him, Peter firmly avowed that though others might, certainly not he! He added that he was ready to do or die as the situation demanded. Like most Christians, Peter had a preconceived idea of the Christian life. He was sure of what a Christian could or could not do, and was also quite sure that all others had the capacity to do what he was certain he could never do. Positive that he could handle any situation and that Satan had no tricks he could not evade, he walked in self-confidence, self-righteousness and pride. But pride goes before a fall, and a fall was in the future for this man.

It was like a programmed thing in his life. Jesus warned him ahead of time, and spoke of Peter's coming denial of Him as though it were already history. Satan had asked permission of the Lord to sift Peter like wheat, and Jesus had given him that permission. There was a valuable purpose in it all. Peter will learn about himself, be made real, compassionate, honest, humble, and usable. He will find a new rest in Jesus as he finds out what kind of man he really is, and by the love of Jesus will become a usable vessel in His hands. Satan will learn that though Peter failed, Jesus did not fail; and that the faith that was in Peter's heart was not his at all, but the faith of God that would never quit, no matter what the test.

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