PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Mark 8:31-33
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“He rebuked Peter. ‘Get behind me, Satan!’” (Mark 8:33)
God has a purpose for my life and gives me what I need to fulfill that purpose.
Satan will use whatever – even people close to us – to hinder God’s purpose.
Peter was not intentionally speaking for Satan.
But he was not discerning his thoughts, to see whether they were good.
Satan constantly whispers half truths and feel rights into our minds.
And we give voice to them, use them as excuses or challenges or accusations.
Jesus fights this battle Himself, resisting Satan’s whispers in His own mind.
When someone He loves becomes a voice of deception, He has to silence it.
I am hesitant to say these exact words to someone, its a hard pill to swallow.
But we do need to realize that Satan does speak through others… and through us.
We need to test the spirits behind our thoughts and words, submit them to Jesus.
This is not easy, because the Deceiver is a master at disguise.
But as long as we do NOT resist his lies, we are vulnerable to them.
Where is Satan using someone to whisper doubts, excuses or fears into Your mind?
PRAYER
Lord, sometimes Satan whispers through others, but often he whispers through my own thoughts and words. Hep me to pay attention, and not make it too easy for Satan to mislead me.
Lord help me identify your voice from all the noise out there. Thank you for giving us the power to rebuke temptation and whispers of lies.
Really interesting to see Jesus respond to Peter with “Get behind me Satan” – the only other time he had said that phrase was when he was being tempted earlier in Matt. Interesting that Jesus rebuked Peter by saying “get behind me Satan” but said “go away from me Satan” to the tempter in the wilderness – even in rebuke there was an awareness that sometimes the deceiver whispers through those you love and must keep close, and other times the deceiver does not hide.
Peter did not like the negative talk – the talk of suffering and death – so he rebuked Jesus. But Jesus was being totally upfront and honest. I’m thinking we do the same with people who suffer and express negative thoughts – we tend to ‘shut’ them up as soon as possible. Really I need to listen with emphatic ears to allow people to express honestly – not shut them down or ignore it too quickly – but at the same time encourage them back to the hope we have in Jesus. Lord help me listen to others and not push my own agenda or fall for Satan’s defeatist agenda! Lord you came and were faithful to your mission to save us – help me to be faithful also to follow your way even in the face of deception, suffering and death!
Stop and Listen.
I am reminded of the words of Samuel – Speak Lord for Your servant is listening. Listen to the voice saying, This is the way. Walk in it. Lead by His Spirit. Walking in His SonShine. And while walking, talking with the Lord asking for guidance.
My hope is built on nothing less
than Jesus’ blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
but wholly lean on Jesus’ name
When darkness veils his lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace
In every high and stormy gale
my anchor holds within the veil
On Christ the solid rock I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand
All other ground is sinking sand