"And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat." (Luke chapter 22 verse 31)
We learn from these verses, what a fearful enemy the devil is to believers. We read that "the Lord said, Simon, Simon, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat". He was near Christ's flock, though they saw him not. He was longing to compass their ruin, though they knew it not. The wolf does not crave the blood of the lamb more than the devil desires the destruction of souls.
The personality, activity, and power of the devil are not sufficiently thought of by Christians. This is he who brought sin into the world at the beginning, by tempting Eve. This is he who is described in the Book of Job as "going to and fro in the earth, and walking up and down in in it." This is he whom our Lord calls "the prince of this world", a "murderer" and a "liar". This is he whom Peter compares to a "roaring lion seeking whom he may devour". This is he whom John speaks of as "the accuser of the brethren". This is he who is ever endeavouring to work evil in the Churches of Christ – catching away good seed from the hearts of hearers, sowing tares amidst the wheat, stirring up persecutions, suggesting false doctrines, fomenting divisions. The world is a snare to the believer; the flesh is a burden and a clog; but there is no enemy so dangerous as that restless, invisible, experienced enemy, the devil.
If we believe the Bible, let us not be ashamed to believe that there is a devil. It is an awful proof of the hardness and blindness of unconverted men, that they can jest and speak lightly of Satan.
If we profess to have any real religion, let us be on our guard against the devil's devices. The enemy who overthrew David and Peter, and assaulted Christ Himself, is not an enemy to be despised. He is very subtle; he has studied the heart of man for over six thousand years; he can approach us under the garb of an "Angel of light". We have need to watch and pray, and put on the whole armour of God. It is a blessed promise, that if we resist him he will flee from us. It is a still more blessed thought, that when the Lord comes He will bruise Satan under our feet, and bind him in chains.
We learn, also, from these verses, one great secret of a believer's perseverance in the faith – even against the devil. We read that our Lord said to Peter, "I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not." It was owing to Christ's intercession that Peter did not entirely fall away.
The continued existence of grace in a believer's heart is a great standing miracle. His enemies are so mighty, and his strength is so small, the world is so full of snares and his heart is so weak, that it seems at first sight impossible for him to reach heaven. The passage of scripture before us explains his safety. He has a mighty Friend at the right hand of God. He, whoever lives to make intercession for him. There is a watchful Advocate, who is daily pleading for him, seeing all his daily necessities, and obtaining daily supplies of mercy and grace for his soul. His grace never altogether dies because Christ always lives to intercede.