In Job 1, hasatan—the Adversary , Opponent, or Accuser—traditionally identified as Satan—asked God to afflict Job. Satan wanted to test Job’s faithfulness to prove he feared God for the wrong reasons:

So Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing? Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side?  You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!” (Job 1:9-11).

Hundreds of years later (or more), Satan was still up to his old tricks, only this time he wanted to test the Apostle Peter:

And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren” (Luke 22:31-32).

Despite Jesus’ prayer, Peter’s faith did fail, at least temporarily. He infamously denied Jesus three times. But thankfully, that was not the end of Peter’s ministry. In fact, Jesus anticipated Peter’s denial, saying, “and when you have returned to Me.” Peter could only return if he first departed. Jesus knew Peter would falter and then return. And when he did, he was to continue his ministry: “strengthen your brethren.”

Satan is still working to test, to sift, and even to devour.

Like Job and Peter, you might be on Satan’s list. As Peter warned from first-hand experience:

Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour (1 Pet 5:8).