August 17, 2026 · David Farmer
The Faith Line
““Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” Peter said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.” Jesus said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me.””
Luke 22:31-34 →
## Bounces Back
At what point do we say that faith has failed? In the Old Testament book of Job, God points Satan towards Job. “Have you considered My servant Job?” Could it be that God sent Satan against Job to prove Job’s faith to Job and to Satan? Eventually, everything failed him except his faith in God. Job bounces back better than ever after he faces the Living God (Job 38-42). Here, Jesus says that Satan came and asked directly for the people he wanted to attack. And he was not restrained by God! Jesus implies that Simon Peter will fall, but that he will “turn again”. Can we say that his faith “failed”? Did Jesus pray an unanswered prayer? Did
## Simon bounce back?
## That’s Gonna Leave a Mark
Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” If faith is assurance and conviction, what was Peter’s assurance and conviction? Before this, he said Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the Living God (Matthew 16; Mark 8). After this time he said it again publicly (Acts 2). He fell, but his faith did not. We cannot judge Peter for failing, for who is to say that one who is presently fallen lower than their faith line, finishes there? Luke 22:33 “Peter said to Him, ‘Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.’” We all know Peter denied the Lord as predicted (22:34). He must’ve went over those words and events from that night again and
again. The guilt became a huge mark on his life. He couldn’t move past it. We do many things that are below our faith, and it often seems we’ll get stuck there. So what can raise us back up? What woke Peter’s heart back up to Who Jesus is? “Peter rose and ran to the tomb...and he went home marveling at what had happened” (Luke 24:12). He was faced with the Resurrection!
## Self-Check
Before Man was created, God knew we would sin. He had a plan to bounce us back. Before Peter failed, Jesus knew he would bounce back, and Jesus personally reinstated him (John 21). God knew you would fall beneath your faith line. He knew you would separate yourself from Him because of your guilt instead of serving Him. He knew he would raise you back up.
## The Case for the Provider