PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Mark 8:31-33
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“Jesus 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 – it would be hard to hear!
But we do need to know that Satan whispers lies 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 whispering 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.
How do I discern – what is really from God – from the holy spirit or what is ‘another voice?’ Jesus said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” The key is – learning what are the concerns of God rather human concerns. Human or sensual or as the Apostle Paul calls them, fleshly desires – go against the desires of God. So I must evaluate – and I pray the HS will help me to do so – to be able to say – get behind me – to know the author of a selfish desire that is not in keeping with what God would desire. It is also growing to learn more about what God desires. I can start by simply following the 10 commandments or the Jesus teaching – including the beatitudes.
1 Teach me, O LORD, Thy way of truth,
and from it I will not depart;
that I may steadfastly obey,
give me an understanding heart.
2 In Thy commandments make me walk,
for in Thy law my joy shall be;
give me a heart that loves Thy will,
from discontent and envy free.
3 Turn now my eyes from vanity,
and cause me in Thy ways to tread;
O let Thy servant prove Thy word
and thus to godly fear be led.
4 Turn Thou away reproach and fear;
Thy righteous judgments I confess;
to know Thy precepts I desire,
revive me in Thy righteousness.