"Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.Luke 22:31, 32; Thus lovingly spoke the Master, Christ Jesus, to his disciple, Simon Peter, on the occasion of the Last Supper. He must have been aware of Simon's unproven love of the Christ. Subsequently, he said to him, "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."Matt. 26:41; The Master knew well the value of prayer and the need of constant alertness to reject evil's insidious suggestions before they can be activated in thought, word, or deed.
In the accomplishment of his successful life—the most successful ever experienced by any individual—Jesus was continually endeavoring to please God, whom he recognized as the One alone, the only genuine cause. This enabled him to reject promptly the enticing suggestions of the carnal mind, no matter how alluring their glitter might appear. He knew that false attraction only diverts one from experiencing true satisfaction and fulfillment of one's purpose. And he knew man's purpose to be of the highest order, for he said, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."5:48To attain this millennial state in human experience, and to retain it, he knew that a very special effort was required of everyone, and that this effort was prayer, spiritual communion with the one God.
The temptations of the world, referred to in the Bible as the efforts of Satan, are enticing in their insidiousness. For example, the suggestion may appear, "Oh, if only this position of world acclaim can be acquired at any cost!" Or the suggestion may be, "Go ahead and try a little sin; no one will see or know; take the easy way according to worldly standards." Many are familiar with such suggestions. Even the Master was not exempt from temptation, for in the Bible we read that just before he entered into his ministry he experienced the three great temptations of materiality.
