Do you make Jesus pray in vain?

Do you make Jesus pray in vain? If you’re like me, the answer’s yes. Way too often. Why does it matter? We’re still saved, aren’t we? What’s the big deal?

What do I mean?

Lk 22:31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

Satan is the accuser. He’s out to destroy all of us. With Jesus praying for us, how can Satan ever win?

Do I make Jesus pray in vain?

Unfortunately, the answer is – all too often.

My first version of this was in April 2015. I wish I could say I don’t make Jesus pray in vain anymore. I could say it. But it wouldn’t be true. So let’s bring this up to date here in 2022.

Like now. I can’t tell you how much I feel I’ve wasted His prayers. Take the past year or so – looking for something or someone to make this life worth living. I feel like my life really has been passed through a flour sifter. It’s in tiny little pieces. What I expected to be the best time of my life is turning out to be even worse than anything that came before. If Jesus is praying for me, why am I still being sifted?

That last paragraph is from the original. I have to say, there were good things between 2015 and 2022. But then there were the continuing troubles that we’re promised. A few surgeries, including one that unsuccessfully tried to remove prostate cancer. I wrote up a couple of those.

One, from a really bad staph infection, is at God – is it time for me to go home? BTW, that’s “home” as in Heaven. Believe it or not, that was one of the good times.

The cancer one is at Did God Forsake You If Cancer Surgery Isn’t 100% Successful? This current time is at Active surveillance for cancer again. Help me overcome my unbelief.

I’m still here. Still writing. But still wishing there weren’t so many times when my initial response to things wasn’t what it maybe should be. But for those of us who have issues with depression, it’s not always so easy. That’s in Christian and depressed. How is that possible?

How can Satan ever win with Jesus praying for us?

Let’s get back to the earlier question. Satan is the accuser. He’s out to destroy all of us. With Jesus praying for us, how can Satan ever win?

The answer to that question – is all too obvious from what we just read above.

Consider these passages.

There is a cost to following Jesus

The Cost of Being a Disciple

Yes, if we are true followers of Jesus, then we are disciples of Him as well. And, we are commanded to “make” more disciples in The Great Commission. It’s not a “pretty please”. Nor is it “if you can find the time”. It’s a command. And it’s to us. You can learn more about that in Who’s supposed to do the Great Commission? Christians or the government?

Lk 14:25 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. 27 And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

Jesus doesn’t mean to literally hate someone. That’s the opposite of what He wants. After all, we’re even supposed to hate our enemies. For instance, see Don’t settle for less, #04: Don’t dwell on your haters.

Rather, Jesus wants our love for Him to be so great that, by comparison, our love for anyone or anything else appears to be like hatred. In other words, on the spectrum of pure love to pure hate, our love for Jesus is so far up the spectrum that all other love from us is way down towards the opposite end.

Lk 14:28 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? 29 For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, 30 saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’

When we set out to accomplish something, we generally try to figure out our chances of success. No one wants to fail, especially if it’s obvious to others.

But, do we do that when we set out to follow Jesus? Do we really know what we’re getting into? Or do we just assume everything’s going to be great and jump in with little to nothing other than blindly following a friend into who knows what? Here, Jesus tells us we must count the cost first. Check out How can it cost me nothing but ask me for everything? for more on that thought.

Lk 14:31 “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. 33 In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.

Another example of the need to count the cost of following Jesus.

One thing about this though. I wonder, if I knew what was going to come in my life, would it change some of my choices? Pondering the consequences of our choices goes into the choices we make, the consequences, and the fear that may come with thinking about the consequences.

By this time of my life, I know my choice way back when I was a kid to become a Christian was the right one. But I can’t help but wonder, would someone in grade school, knowing what was to come, especially if he knew Jesus promised us troubles for following Him, still make that choice?

Of course, not everything that happens to Christians is because we are Christian. But from what the Bible tells us, some of them are. Which ones? Who knows? But some. Not knowing which ones might weigh heavy on someone just considering whether or not to follow Jesus, don’t you think?

Lk 14:34 “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? 35 It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out.

Here’s what that part means. It’s about those of us who call ourselves Christians. Followers of Christ. Disciples of Jesus.

If the salt have lost his savor. A disciple must have certain essential qualities. If these are gone, he is useless to Christ, and as the saying goes “not worth his salt.” The salt in use during Christ’s time was impure, and the sodium chloride could be leached out of that common salt. This represents the type of disciple Christ does not want. ¹

“He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

At this point, you might wonder who ever becomes a disciple if they do all that counting and considering. And while everything Jesus said is true, this last line really puts its mark on everything preceding it.

That line is telling us that what Jesus said earlier can only be truly understood after we have the Holy Spirit. After we’re baptized. Furthermore, it will be more completely understood as we grow in our faith. In other words, we have a view of what we’re getting into before we actually get baptized. Then, as we continue to grow as Christians, we also increase our understanding of what the cost truly is.

So, it seems more like Jesus isn’t telling us to know and understand everything before we take the first step of our journey. How can we, when the Holy Spirit is required to understand? Rather, it feels more like Jesus must be telling us that this counting the cost is a continual process.

Consider something James wrote about when “stuff happens”. What we read below is about developing faith. Things happening in order to foster that development. Perseverance. That’s not one-time stuff. That’s growth.

Trials and Temptations

Jas 1:2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

Jas 1:9 The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. 10 But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. 11 For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business.

Jas 1:12 Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

Jas 1:13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

Jas 1:16 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers. 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

So after reading all that, the concept that this is about a growth process remains. And here’s how Jesus’ words fit in with that. As we grow, as we are persevering through ever more intense “trials” to bring us closer to what we can be, what we were made to be, we must continue to count the cost. Why? Yes, to be sure we can complete what we started. But also to realize that we are more and more able to persevere through things. That even though things may get tougher, we are more able to get through them.

Again, why? Because we are also getting closer and closer to God. And because we continue to experience and realize that it’s not our own ability to persevere or to become more perfect. It’s God’s power. And if we stick with Him, we truly cannot fail. Yes, we may lose some battles. We may have some setbacks. We may have times of depression. But we will win the war – because Jesus already has won that war for us. And we need to include that when we count the cost.

Back to our own thoughts as we move through life

OK – so that’s what the passage tells us about counting the cost. And what I wrote tells us how it can be. Also, it asks some questions. But now let’s get back to the reality of life as we live it. A life where things happen. Things we don’t expect. Things that have a negative impact on us. In other words – life.

Trouble is part of life when we make the choice to follow Jesus. Even those who should be the closest to us will be the sources of some of those troubles. It’s part of the price to pay. But doesn’t it mess us up? It certainly did for me.

It happened to Jesus too.

Jesus Predicts His Death

16:21-28 pp — Mk 8:31—9:1; Lk 9:22-27

Mt 16:21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

Mt 16:22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

Mt 16:23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”

Just look what Jesus said to Peter. How do you think Peter felt after hearing that? I’d be crushed.

That brings up our title today. Do you make Jesus pray in vain? Add in the thought of counting the cost, how do we feel about the times when we put ourselves in very much the same position Peter did? We tell Jesus we’re a disciple of His. We let Him down. Even though He’s the very One who paid the ultimate price for us, and is the One who walks with us through our journey.

Do we realize what that does to the cost we must pay as we go through this life? Let me be clear though. It’s not the cost to have eternity in Heaven. Jesus paid that in full – Himself. No, I’m talking about the cost to be a good disciple. To that end, read what Jesus said to His disciples as He predicts His own death.

Mt 16:24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. 28 I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

We must take up our own cross. In a sense, we must “die”. And the whole point gets to what I mentioned earlier: What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?

The ultimate gain is later. And it’s a “gain” we don’t really understand. Can’t see. Have to take on faith that it will be there.

Why is this so hard?

It’s hard, because it’s a price we can see and feel. And it’s a high price.

If we don’t pay attention, or don’t think about the future, maybe it doesn’t seem worth it to pay that price right now. Maybe we can convince ourselves that we can have the good life now and not pay the price later. Maybe we won’t really have to sell our soul to the devil in order to avoid being sifted in this life.

Sometimes I wish I could do that. Not think about the price. Believe the people who try to tell usc that God wants us to be rich and happy in this life. The problem is, there’s no basis for believing it. Eventually, reality sets in. And I have to pay the price.

So what’s the answer to the dilemma of how to pay the price? How to carry the cross that we’re given?

I think maybe it comes from the one person I was the most afraid of when I was younger. He was the one I was afraid I’d have to be like.
But then I realized, things like what he went through don’t happen anymore. There’s nothing to worry about.
But then, the very first Bible study that I led was very much about him.
The book – Acts.
The person – Paul.

And years later, I realize that things like this really do happen. Not so much here in the U.S. But in other places. And Revelation tells us it’s going to happen everywhere.

But getting back to Paul. See what he wrote about his “thorn”. His issue that he really wanted God to take away. But Jesus told him – No.

We start with an experience unique to Paul.

Paul’s Vision and His Thorn

2Co 12:1 I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows. 3 And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— 4 was caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell. 5 I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses. 6 Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say.

We’re not likely to experience anything close to that. However, having something that we want to boast about – that’s not unique at all. So what follows is relevant to all of us. Why? Because no matter how little the boast is, it’s still a boast. It’s pride. And, as the proverb goes – actually, that’s as the Proverbs go:

Pr 8:13 To fear the LORD is to hate evil;
I hate pride and arrogance,
evil behavior and perverse speech.

Pr 11:2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
but with humility comes wisdom.

Pr 13:10 Pride only breeds quarrels,
but wisdom is found in those who take advice.

Pr 16:18 Pride goes before destruction,
a haughty spirit before a fall.

Pr 21:24 The proud and arrogant man—“Mocker” is his name;
he behaves with overweening pride.

Pr 29:23 A man’s pride brings him low,
but a man of lowly spirit gains honor.

With those Proverbs in mind, and our own boastful feelings as well, let’s see what Paul says.

2Co 12:7 To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

The part that Jesus said to Paul? It applies to all who want to follow Him. Including us.

It’s a lesson I haven’t yet learned, apparently. Obviously.

To paraphrase the father in Mark 9:24 and apply his thoughts to our present topic:

I do know your grace is sufficient for me. Help me believe what I think I know.

Along that line, you can check out Can I trust what I think I know?

I wonder about the passage below, especially verses 22-23.

Life by the Spirit

Gal 5:16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

Gal 5:19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

The one that I seem to have the least of is joy. Not that I’m super filled with any of them, but the lack of joy seems way out of proportion.

Here in 2022, I must add that I’m doing better with this one. I just wrote about that the other day in Christian and depressed. How is that possible?

And so I wonder.
If I ever come to believe what I think I know about God’s grace.
will there be joy
in spite of/while being sifted?
Or will finally learning that lesson maybe reduce/bring an end to the sifting?

I hope I find out the answer soon.

Again, in 2022, I can say it hasn’t ended. As hoped for in the comments that went with The Cost Of Being A Disciple, I do feel like I’m getting better there. My experiences with cancer over the last few years have helped. There’s a series on that at Don’t waste your cancer. The most recent one, an assessment of where I’m at is Active surveillance for cancer again. Help me overcome my unbelief.