Why does God allow Satan to bother you?

God, thank you once again for the opportunity that you give me to be able to share a word with my brothers and sisters on this special day that you give us. God, as I asked you this morning, I say it again, Lord, that the words that come out of my mouth, the meditation that is in my heart, be to bring honor and glory to your name, be to bring conviction to the hearts of your children and daughters, and as I trust in you, Lord, this word will not come back empty, but will fulfill what you are sending it for. So, Lord, I place myself in your hands and may your Holy Spirit speak to each of our lives. Thank my Lord. Amen and amen.

Well brothers, I invite you to look for your Bibles, we are going to enter the book of Luke, Chapter 22 and before going fully into the message I would just like to summarize about some of the words that Pastor Roberto Miranda shared with us last Sunday. How many of you remember that message from last Sunday? How many of you left here feeling it? Let see the hands, how many felt it? And when I say they felt it, which is like get ready, get ready, that kind of feeling, not like wow, how nice. It's not that, but it's like those words like when they come they're like wow, those ear pulls that you really have to pay attention to so to speak.

And just in case if you don't remember, the key passage that was used that past Sunday was Revelation, Chapter 12, verse 11 and that verse says: “...they have overcome him through the blood of the lamb, the word of their testimony and the fact that they despised their lives to the point of death...”

Of course, when he is talking about them, he means the church , the chosen people of God and the one they defeated is talking about Satan, the main enemy of the church of God, that is what he is talking about.

And those were the three weapons that the pastor was reflecting on, that I tell you, my brothers, I still think about those words and something trembles inside me, because it was a message from a very big challenge that we cannot look at or have unnoticed, but we have to be very clear in the midst of our lives, and how we are going to respond to it.

Now, while I was reflecting on those words, just when I was sitting there in front, there was a biblical text that touched my heart and that was the biblical text that I want to share with you, which is found in Luke Chapter 22, verses 31 to 32 and the word of the Lord says:

“.... the Lord also said, Simon, Simon,....”

Let me personify him a little more, he says "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has asked them to sift them like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith does not fail and once you return, confirm your brothers...."

Now, I found this passage in another version that I liked better as it went down one level and the passage is here on the screen, you can read it. The passage says, this is the simple language Bible, it is like the goddess ......, for some perhaps they know her like that, it says:

“... then Jesus said to Peter , Pedro, listen carefully - that was my Puerto Rican accent that I wanted to put there - he said, Pedro, listen carefully, Satan has asked God for permission to put difficult tests on all of you and you know what, my brother? God has given it to him. But I have asked God, I have asked Dad, to help you to stand firm. For a while you are going to leave me alone but then you will change. When that happens, you will help your companions to always remain faithful to me...."

Let me break this passage for a moment, my brothers, I can say with complete certainty that of the 4 gospels, Luke He is the only one who emphasizes those words of Jesus to Peter. This is given within the context of Jesus giving this prediction to Peter that he was going to deny it, and how he was going to deny it. And all this occurs within the moment in which Jesus is sharing his last supper with his disciples, he is revealing to them the things that are going to happen, the reasons for which he has to die, he is revealing who was going to be the person who was going to betray him, and within all this, there is a promise that Jesus also shares with his disciples. If you look a little further on in verse 28, right there in Luke 22, verse 28 says:

“...but you have remained faithful with me in my trials. So I assign you a kingdom as my Father assigned it to me so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel..."

Look at this how interesting. Here Jesus is like who says applauding his disciples, very good guys, you have remained faithful to me for these last three years, no matter what you thought you could not feed five thousand people, but nevertheless you have done it because you have trusted in me You have endured damage, you have endured fasting, you have endured long walks, sun, thirst, hunger, all of this for me, and I applaud you for that, and for that reason I give you the promise that you are going to sit with me in that kingdom. when i come

How would you feel if Jesus spoke that way to you? You would feel like that, it feels good, thank you Master, I'm not worthy. I am not worthy, Master. But you know what? Right after those words Jesus comes and throws this bucket of cold water over them. He tells them, just as I acknowledge your fidelity, in the same way I tell you that all of you are going to abandon me. Ah, but how is it going to be a Master, how is that going to be possible, we cannot do the same thing. No. The ches come out there quickly. And one of those was Pedro, he told him, no, Master, I lay my head down for you, I'm going to be with you to death and that's where he told him: Oh, Pedro, if you only knew, boy, that you're going to be one of those who He will deny me three times. Others are going to leave scared, but you are going to deny me.

And then there he says those words my brothers, this is where I want to get to the heart of things because there is something that I understand that God wants to communicate to us as a church. These words, Pedro listens well. What's more, I say, church listen well, because Satan has asked God for permission to put difficult tests on all of you. It might sound a little scary, right? But you know what? Don't be scared, I'll tell you why.

I notice, my brothers, that when someone asks permission to do something or to enter some place, it is because they do not have permission to enter or do what they want to do, right? If you punish one of your children and tell him, you are not going to play with the Playstation anymore, you are not going to watch television, why do I know how many hours, if you want to go out you have to ask my permission. What is that son to do? He has to come, ask his father and mother for permission to do something that he was forbidden to do. If you go through a field and you come across, let's say, an apple tree farm so to speak, and those apples look super delicious, you salivate for eating one of those apples. But obviously it says this is private land, you can't come in here. If you want one of those apples, what do you have to do? You have to go, talk to the owner, ask permission to enter and eat an apple, right?

Don't you find it interesting that Satan has to ask permission to harass God's chosen ones? And brothers, and this fills me with so much confidence because that means that we obviously belong to God and if the enemy wants to bother us, he has to ask the owner of our lives for permission. You can't get in like that because yes, you have to ask permission.

Now, but I am very clear because this is something that applies to those people who have been chosen by God, who have been marked, sealed with his Holy Spirit and I believe that I am standing here before a group of people who have been chosen, marked by the power and spirit of God.

Look at something, I start to think, brothers, I was eating this passage from end to end, I said to myself, wow, why is there emphasis on all these things and also how I saw the fact that that Satan had to ask for permission, I began to think about the words of Jesus that Jesus himself was telling his disciples, guys this is something that is going to happen. And obviously each one of the disciples was saying, no, Jesus, that's impossible, we can't leave you alone. No, we can't do that, if we've been with you up to here, I imagine they must have sung, God didn't bring us here to go back. He brought us here to stay with you. No no. If the disciples had stayed with Jesus at the time of his arrest, what would have happened to the disciples? They would have been arrested too and if they had been arrested I imagine that perhaps they too would have been put to death.

And you think that was in God's plan. no, for something Jesus sacrificed himself so much to be with those boys for three years so that they would be in charge of continuing spreading that message of God to all nations. So an announcement from Jesus that perhaps at the time could have sounded so out of this world, like why are you saying that we are going to deny you, that we are going to leave you alone. I imagine that Jesus was saying in his heart, you know what, guys? That's for me and God to know and for you to find out later. That is for me and God to know now and you will know later.

But it has to happen like this. And that's where this whole dynamic of Satan having to ask for permission comes from. What other character does this remind you of? Job. Job was another character who had to ask permission to bother, because he was a chosen man, upright before God and there he went and made the first round, as they say, he tried to take away his family, to take away his possessions and then when it happened He realizes that Job was still standing there, he returned again before God and said, look, God, ok, you have let me take away his family, his belongings, his children, the reputation he had with his friends but you know what? Let me tease you a little more. Attack his skin, attack his health and you will see how he will deny you. And God in his sovereignty knows what he said, look, do everything you want, but don't bother his life. And there it is saying, don't bother what is in the center of it because that belongs to me. And that's when all these illnesses came upon Job, those sores that appeared on his skin, on his body, that he despaired of scratching and that despair and God, but he always remained there, firm until he reached the point of saying, of ears had heard you, but now my eyes see you.

Brothers, I don't know about you, but this is something that fills me with hope because if Satan dares to come before the throne of God to ask permission to harass some of his chosen ones and if God agree to give that permission, do you know why? Because God knows what we are made of. We are made of it. We are his creation, each one of us has something of God in himself. And you know, it's like God told her, you know what, go ahead, get upset. I know what they are capable of. I know what they are capable of. I know what I have put in their midst and you know what? Whatever you do is going to work for the purpose that I have in the midst of their lives.

what does the passage say? He asks permission to do what? He says, to sift them like wheat. Sift them like wheat, there is the example. There is a picture of wheat, a mountain of wheat. But do you know how the wheat is shaken, how it shakes? There are different ones, there is a very traditional way that is the one in which the person throws the wheat into the air so that what has to be separated is separated, and there is another that is like using a large tray that has a mesh like , a screen, then one shakes that, so that the bad is left out and what is really used can be used. And that is the idea, my brothers, of shaking, that is the idea of shaking, that is the idea that we need to be shaken like wheat, we need to be shaken like wheat so that the roughness and the things that do not work in we can put aside and what is truly good, what is truly useful, what does serve, then can be used for the honor and glory of God.

Now, our tendency is to think, okay, if I belong to God, since God loves me so much, since I am the boy, the spoiled girl of God, well, God is not going to allow the devil bother me so much. That is what we want to think. But God sees much further than what we think, my brothers, because God knows what he wants to do in our midst. And he can use any instrument he wants, even the devil himself, so that his purpose is fulfilled in us. What God wants to do is move us to a new dimension. What God wants to do is form in us the type of person, the type of man, the type of woman that he wants us to be in order to truly reflect all his glory and all his power at the moment in which we are living now. .

And this is where I see that many people sometimes have trouble accepting this. Because we don't have the eyes to see ourselves the way God sees us. We don't have the ability to really say like if God wants me to move into a new dimension, you know what? There is a part of me that yearns and desires that, but there is another part of me that sees all these rough edges yet I do not believe that I am worthy of such a call. And you know what? That is a lie from the devil, I rebuke that in the name of Jesus because I am sure to each and every one of you that God wants to do something in the midst of your lives, from something as simple and simple as giving a glass of water to a unknown as such a big thing to lead an entire crowd through the streets to announce that God is real, that God lives, whatever God wants to do with you.

And guess what? Many times people find it difficult to accept this because we struggle with internal things, we have habits that we have so entrenched that we think that I cannot be one of those called or chosen because I have these things inside of me. And there are times when it is difficult for them to receive or accept the fact that God has a purpose for them. And you know what? I came across a CD that they lent me from an Argentine preacher, his name is Dante Guebel, most likely you have heard of him, it was a really intense preaching that man was there, he had me on stick. When I put that CD in the car I was, wow. The point was that he reached a point in his message where he began to reflect precisely on these words where people many times do not believe that they can reach that new level that God has for them because they feel that they are struggling with hidden sins that have been revealed to them. prevents them from reaching those things that God has for them.

And he made reference to the Our Father in the midst of that reflection. In that reflection, in the Our Father, you remember that the Our Father says, give us today our daily bread and then it says, and forgive our debts as we forgive our debtors... brother Guebel was saying that if he Had he written that prayer, he would have put first, forgive our debts as we forgive our debtors, and then he would have said, and give us our daily bread. And he was saying why he was saying this because many times people have this impression that in order to receive something from God we need to be forgiven first, we need to experience forgiveness first in order to receive something that God has for us. And you know what? The correction he made was precisely that, God as Father does not trade his bread with his children. If you are a father, if you are a mother, it doesn't matter what your son or daughter has done, if they took 20 dollars from your wallet and you noticed but didn't say anything, if you kicked someone in the school, or if something was stolen from somewhere, you are not going to trade your bread with your child.

You will always have your table prepared, and you will say, come on, let's eat first and then settle accounts. Now we eat at the table, perhaps we will have a long face of annoyance, but we are going to eat, the bread is not denied, and then we go to the living room and talk. You know what? God does the same with each one of us, God does not negotiate his bread with any of his sons and daughters. If there is something that is there that bothers you, if there is something that is there that prevents us from receiving those things that God has for us and we believe we are unworthy of, you know what? God does not negotiate his bread with you, what he has for you is for you. The promises he has for your life are there over your life. He gives them, he distributes them to each one without any prejudice, he gives them. He gives them but you know what? I want you to clap now in this part, clap, please clap. No, but let me say it first, you can applaud that, God gives bread no matter what, but later God will tell you, but we have to settle accounts. Now clap that.

Hey, do they know what you're clapping for, are they very clear on what they're clapping for? You know that I am like that, I am very right through, I tell you. I mean, if they tell me to applaud that, I kind of say oh, we're going to settle accounts with God. But you know what, my brothers? The way that God settles accounts with us is not the same way that we settle accounts with ourselves. There is a verse from the Bible that I really like that is also very strong but it says, it is time for God's judgment to begin and that it begins with the house of God.

And when he talks about that judgment it doesn't mean that God is going to come with a 3” leather strap and whip us, or maybe in the case of some, a power cord or something like that maybe was the case of some, those traumas that they have in their past life. Oh no. But when I think about it my brothers, that God wants to deal with his children, God wants to deal with each one of us, God has an intention in his heart, God is stubborn so to speak, when God wants to do something with you, God going to find a way to do it. And you know what? God can use any situation in your life to make sure that his plan and purpose is fulfilled in you. God will use anything even if the devil himself approaches and wants to harm your life, God has the power to say, you know what, do you want to bother my sons and daughters? Go ahead, do it. I know what will come out of there. I know what will come out of that wheat shaking. I know what will come out of that shake. From there something will come out that I am going to use even more with great power.

So, brothers, I want to think of something now. If these are the things that God often allows, and I'm not saying that this is the majority of cases, don't start thinking now, like oh, God, why do you give the devil permission to treat me? bother? Whatever your situation, you know better than I do, but whatever your situation, why do you give permission to the devil? Hey, God knows, God knows, trust him and not the devil. So put your trust in him.

But guess what? This is where I refer to that message that the pastor shared with us last Sunday. Those three tools of which he speaks, that blood of the lamb that covers us and cleanses us from all sin; that word of our testimony, my brothers, that the testimony of your life is in continuous and full development, the drama of your life, that novel that you put the title of whatever it is called, my novel is called 'Kathy', or my novel is called 'Juan Pablo de las Casas', whatever your novel is called, put even the theme song that you want to put in your novel, God is in action in that novel, and that novel is the word of your testimony, of how God works and operates in you, of how perhaps, in some Chapter you came across a part that says, like wow here I messed up very ugly legs, but God took it upon himself to restore my life like me I never ever thought about it and now here I am serving him.

That is the word of our testimony and then there is that fact of despising our lives to death, that we do not take our lives as something to which we cling so much but we put God's desires first for above our desires, we put what he wants for our lives above what we want for our own lives and how God manifests himself and glorifies himself in the midst of each of those things. And you know what, my brothers? To that I add one more tool and it is the tool of prayer.

And here I want to make a parenthesis. I feel in my heart to make a parenthesis here my brothers. You know, when I see that Jesus himself says to Peter, Peter, you know what? I have prayed for you, I have made a direct connection much better than Verizon,... Internet whatever, much better than that and I have made a direct connection with Dad to intercede for you.

Guess what? It fills me with encouragement to know that I have Jesus who is interceding on my part, that I have a Jesus who is interceding on behalf of each one of you. And that leaves me an example that I have to seek God in prayer even more, that I cannot, my brothers, take lightly the aspect of prayer in the midst of my life.

Guess what? I imagine that you remember, on Father's Day Sunday, almost a month ago, and I count this as a testimony that I was there in that corner, I was praying, brothers, and I can tell you that the spirit of God descended on me in a way that I had not experienced for a long time. And I wanted to get up off the floor but I couldn't, my brothers. My legs couldn't take me. I haven't experienced something like this in a long time. and I do remember glimpses of things, I remember that brother Gonzalo said in one, let's pray for Pastor Omar who is there drunk in the presence, and I did not know if he was drunk in the presence of God or what, what I know, my brothers, it is that God was bringing out a series of things before me and I can tell them, and he told me, Omar, I want to restore your life, I want to use you greatly but these things have to be dealt with . That is why I was crying there at that altar, because the things that God began to bring before me, many of them caused me pain, many of them I can say that even caused me shame, but I could continue listening to the whisper of God, I want to restore you to use you.

And you know what, my brothers? I am sure that God wants to do the same with many people here. But we have to open ourselves to that touch of God in the midst of our lives. You know what? That weekend was a glorious thing. The pastor made a prayer call to come here on Monday to pray. Brothers, I can tell you, I was surprised how this sanctuary was filled on a Monday night as it is right now. How many were here that Monday? Look how good Those who were not there have to take the blessing of others.

But you know what, my brothers? That was a glorious Monday and my heart was so glad and so glad to see the church make a sacrifice like that to come on a Monday night to take time to seek God in prayer, to intercede, to praise Him, to glorify Him. I was on fire that night. I was turned on that night. I saw myself, Lord, give us more of this, give us more.

But guess what? Just as frank as I am saying that, I also tell myself, the church that happens to us that this is not happening more often. Why do we have to wait for a special prayer call on a Monday night, when we know that every Wednesday night we have prayer time here in the church, that we don't have to wait for a special call to be made, let's pray Monday night for the spirit of God to come upon us here, but all of us have that opportunity on a day that is already set, so to speak, by the church program.

And brothers, it's not that I'm throwing a bucket of cold water on you but in part I do sometimes. Well, brothers, we have to understand that God is calling us as a church to great things and our search for him, not only in our individual time. Ah, but Pastor Omar, you don't know, I pray every night in my house. Fantastic my brother keep praying every night and remember me in your prayers too please. But as a church, as a body we need to seek God. We cannot settle for what happens here only on Sundays, we have to take that time. Those are the times, my brothers, that when we make that sacrifice God rewards him in ways that only he knows how to do.

And look, my brothers, I don't take away the fact that I know that there are people here who work nights, who have two, three jobs sometimes, who find it difficult to find someone who I took care of your children and all that, look, I recognize that. But at the same time, my brothers, I dare to say, and we have to make the sacrifice, we have to make the effort to seek God in those moments, if we truly want to see his hand working in our midst.

Brothers, we cannot stop praying. Just as Jesus did not stop praying for his disciples, we cannot stop praying to see those things that God has established for each of us as a church, for each of you as individuals, as a family, we have, we have to give him that to the Lord and use those times of prayer, my brothers, as one of those tools, as one of those weapons so as not to let the enemy get away with it in our midst, but rather that this shaking that is given, is given for the glory of God in the midst of our lives.

Look, brothers, I say this, and this is the title of my sermon, I say it at the end, I want a church that is shaken like wheat for the glory and honor of God. Whatever instrument God wants to use, it could be my dog, it could be a neighbor, it could be Pastor Greg, it could be the devil himself that God wants to use, may God allow that to happen, but I know, if I I trust in the will of God, if I trust in his purposes, if I trust and believe in his sovereignty that he can see beyond my nose, then, look, let the shaking happen, no matter how difficult whatever, my brothers.

And brothers, my knees are shaking when I say this, I am not lying to you, because I know that it is not easy to say what I am saying. That saying that says, easier said than done, easier said than done or lived. I recognize that reality and I know, I look around me here and I know that there are people here who struggle with serious, strong, painful things, who do not want to wish them on anyone in their lives, at least I hope they don't tell them. want to wish on anyone in your life. But I know, I know, I know that there are people here struggling with very difficult things, but my brother, receive this word from the Lord, this shaking will work for the honor and glory of dad who has chosen you , it will work for the honor and glory of God manifesting in the midst of your life so that you can then reach that new level to which he is calling you to reach.

We cannot settle for what we are experiencing now, those thoughts that often neutralize us, those thoughts that if my life is worthless, I am going to jump off the... Bridge and that there it's all over No, no, no, no, no, precisely that thought if you give it to God can work for you to build the life of another person who is perhaps going through the same thing and who knows if worse.

I invite you to stand up, my brother, and I want to make a very brief prayer here and now, because I know that we have Holy Communion and we want to share it, but I want you to you think about it. I want you to close your eyes and imagine Jesus in front of you, imagine Jesus in front of you saying it, my son, my daughter, you have been faithful, you have remained there on the road, you have endured, you have resisted and I I have great things for you. But at the same time I tell you that the enemy is asking permission to disturb your life. The enemy is looking for the way, like a roaring lion, how to destroy you, how to eliminate you, how to find the way that you do not believe in the promises that God has for you. And you know what? God gives you that permission because he knows what he has put in you. God knows that he is strong, God knows that the power that he has is more than the power that your enemy of your life has. God knows that whatever plot the enemy has tried against you, God can use it to turn your life into a blessing. That your life can be a blessing to others, but that you can experience that same blessing in yourself.

Brothers, please, let us receive this word, let us not take it for granted, let it not enter one ear and go out the other. Let us think deeply about these words, about this challenge, this is a challenge that comes directly from Jesus, it is a warning that he brings to our lives. The Lord tells us so, the Christian life is not a valley of roses, it is not all perfume, it is not all peaches and carrots, it is not all cheesecake. The Christian life is not like that, the Christian life also has its struggles. If you have decided to be a disciple or a disciple of mine, mine, of the Lord, prepare yourself because in the world you are going to have affliction but the Lord tells you that he has overcome the world and that victory that he has had over the world, he He gives it to you, shares it with you, allows you to live in that same victory. Believe that word, my brother, make it part of you. Receive it, live, wake up breathing that word day after day, don't take it for granted, don't take your life for granted, you're a Christian when you're walking down Massachusetts Avenue to school, you're a Christian, you're a son , a daughter of God. when your friends are inviting you to go to a party, God knows what club, and God knows what happens there, God is with you when you make that decision and even if you decide to go to the party, do you know what ? God will be with you too because he does not leave you, he does not forsake you, he is with you wherever you go.

God is with you when you pray in the privacy of your home and he is also with you when you pray here in congregation as well. God has seen your struggles and the Lord laughs in the midst of your struggles because he knows what will come out of there, he knows that a man, a woman, will come out of there, formed according to his image. He knows that a firm man will emerge from those struggles, a firm woman in the purposes that God has for your life. You may be struggling with something, whatever it is, an addiction, you may be struggling with an aspect of your character, uncontrolled anger many times, that you cannot tolerate, you cannot stand 'x' or 'y' person, you may be dealing with many things, but you know what? Give them up, give them up, let them go, don't carry them with you. The Lord does not want you to carry them, release them to him and you will see how he will work in the midst of your life. Deliver your burdens to the Lord, release them, breathe them in, vomit them out in the presence of God and do not take them, do not take them again, deposit them in him.

Lord Jesus, at this moment I ask that your Holy Spirit, Lord, seal these words in the hearts of my brothers and sisters. Father, let us not look lightly at the challenge that you give us, Lord, the warning that you give us. Maybe there will be some of these words that do not sound very nice to our ears, Lord, but I believe that they are words that come from you and your heart because you want to encourage your church, you want to keep your church prevented, Lord, You want to keep your children prevented from the evils that may approach them around the corner, Lord, and I take advantage of this opportunity and rebuke my God any action of the enemy, Lord Jesus, who wants to bring down my brothers and sisters, Lord, at a level that they cannot bear, because I also declare what your word says, that you do not give us too heavy a load that we cannot carry, Jesus. You know how much we can take, Jesus. And maybe right now here are men and women who are saying, wow, Lord, you crossed the line because this is too heavy right now.

But my brother, my sister, Lord knows how much he lets you through. The Lord knows how much he lets you endure, the Lord wants you to know that he is with you, that his love has not strayed from you, it has not strayed from your heart, that he is willing to lift you up when you need it most, everything what you have to do is cry out to him, and he will answer you.

Father, affirm the hearts of my brothers and sisters this afternoon, affirm us in the truth of your word, Lord, and just as you said, I repeat those same words, that the faith of my brothers and sisters do not lack, that their faith does not lack, Lord, that their faith does not drain to a total level, my God, that they will be completely forgotten by you, but once they have left they can return to you again time and can function in building and restoring other lives around them. That is the kind of faith that you place on them today, it is a restoring faith, it is a faith that affirms, it is a faith that launches us to those new levels that you have for us.

And Lord, if we are sifted like wheat for the honor and glory of your name it is. Let it be as you want. Thank my Lord. Amen.