POWER STUDY - A36

[Albert Finch]

Satan’s Domain – The Realm of Darkness

(Read Luke 22 & Acts 3)

Luke 22:34,61,62 34And He said, “I say to you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know Me.” 61The Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had told him, “Before a rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.” 62And he went out and wept bitterly.

(Jesus predicted accurately that Peter would deny Him three times. Anyone looking at Peter’s actions that night might have simply concluded that his denial was just a manifestation of fear. Yet Peter was not fearful by nature. The was the disciple, who a few hours earlier, had drawn a sword against the multitude who came to arrest Jesus. Human fear did not cause Peter to deny the Lord. Peter’s denial was satanically induced.)

Luke 22:31-33 31“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; 32but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” 33But he said to Him, “Lord, with You I am ready to go both to prison and to death!”

(Behind the scenes Satan had demanded and received permission to sift Peter like wheat. Satan had access to an area of darkness in Peter’s heart. How did Satan get permission from Jesus to assault Peter?)

Luke 22:23-24 23And they began to discuss among themselves which one of them it might be who was going to do this thing. 24And there arose also a dispute among them as to which one of them was regarded to be greatest.

(The disciples went from an attitude of shock and dismay to an argument concerning who among them was the greatest. Evidently Peter “the water walker” who was also the boldest and outspoken of the apostles prevailed. Peter’s high visibility left him with an air of superiority which was fanned by Satan into an attitude of presumption and boasting.)

Proverbs 16:18 18Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before stumbling.

(Peter, being lifted up by pride, was being set up for a fall. Pride caused Satan’s fall, and pride was the very same darkness Satan was using to cause Peter’s fall.)

Acts 3:11-12 11While he was clinging to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them at the so-called portico of Solomon, full of amazement. 12But when Peter saw this, he replied to the people, “Men of Israel, why are you amazed at this, or why do you gaze at us, as if by our own power or piety we had made him walk?

(The outcome of Peter’s experience was, after Pentecost, when God used him to heal the lame man a new humble Peter spoke to the gathering crowd. Peter’s victory over pride and the devil began with the name of Jesus on his lips, and it was consummated by the nature of Jesus in his heart. The darkness in Peter was displaced with light, the pride in Peter was replaced with Christ.)