And When You Have Returned to Me, Strengthen Your Brothers....

I remembered a scripture today that is very close to my heart. In Luke 22:31-32, Jesus tells Peter that the devil has asked for him. Jesus said, "Look, Peter, the devil has asked for you. He wants to sift you out. I've prayed for you, though, so that your faith won't fail. When you've come through this and you come back to me, strengthen your brothers."

I realize that these verses are packed with a lot of beauty and are wealthy in revelation, but the part that I'd like to focus on is the last. Jesus told Peter that it was going to get tough, but he would make it. And after Peter made it, Jesus made this one request: that he strengthen his brothers. This charge is as relevant today as it was when Jesus first spoke the words.

In light of the larger scheme of things, I haven't lived on this earth very long. In my few years, however, I have experienced much. I know that this notion is relative, but I stand by it. I give God a pure and confident praise because He has seen me through many things. But my praise cannot be the end of the matter. After I've come through, I must turn around and pull someone else through the same dark tunnel. After I've stumbled through to the other side without much of a path before me, I must bring others across the path that my feet have just created.

I think that this is a responsibilty of every Christian. You see, God's kingdom isn't about the individual. We are a family. And in our family, we uphold eachother; we help eachother reach the required mark.

Your experiences -whether good or bad- are a gift that can be used to glorify our Father. Whatever you're going through, when you come out -and you will because you're more that a conqueror- you have to make sure to strengthen your brothers. You're not a victim when you have Christ. You can never be, because He's gone before us and He's won a mighty victory. Don't play the part of a victim. The things you've been through can be turned around to expand God's kingdom. What the enemy meant for evil, God can turn to good.

This is my prayer: that we, the body of Christ, will uphold and support one another. And that we will have a heart to search for our lost brothers and sisters. That every experience that we live through will be used toward winning an eternal victory.

Strengthen your brethren.

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