A Nugget from New Life Network
Scripture for the Day (March 16, 2018)
But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence (snare or stumbling block) unto me: for thou savourest (interest oneself in; incline your mind towards) not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. (Matthew 16:23)
Our scripture for the day followed Jesus telling his disciples that He was going to suffer many things. He was going to be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes. In other words, all the religious elite were going to turn on Him and He would be killed. He also told them that He would be raised from the dead on the third day.
When Jesus told His disciples this news Peter rebuked Him and said, “Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee” (Matthew 16:22). That is when Jesus rebuked Peter and told him that Peter’s mind, thinking, and words, were satanically influenced. Peter was more concerned with the things of man than he was the things of God. He was being controlled more by his emotions than he was by the plan of God.
How often are we ourselves influenced by the things that are of men, rather than by the plan of God for our own lives? Have you ever thought that God spoke to you about a particular situation and after consultation with a religious person or friend, or after you had your own second thoughts, you decided that what you thought you heard was probably not a good idea and you probably did not hear God after all? Peer pressure, especially religious peer pressure, religious traditions, and our own carnal reasoning can shortcut and/or even derail what God wants to do in our life. Listen to what Jesus said to His disciples just after He was rebuked by Peter and after He rebuked Peter.
Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. (Mark 8:34-38)
It is very important that we understand what the word “ashamed” means. When we are ashamed of something we place it in a category of less importance. For example, Peter was ashamed of what Jesus said, as evidenced by his rebuke of Jesus. Jesus is the Word of God made flesh. He did not say anything that He did not hear the Father saying. And yet, Peter listened to the father of lies and gave more substance to those words than he did the words from Jesus. That’s being ashamed!
In the parable of the sower Jesus told us that the enemy comes immediately to steal the seed that is sown, which is the Word of God (Mark 4:15). He also told us that if we did not understand the parable of the sower we would not understand any of the parables (Mark 4:13).
The enemy does not show up in a red suit with horns and a pitch fork. He shows up as a thought in your mind to discount anything God tells you. His thought will make logical sense to your carnal reasoning but it will be a lie. It’s all about making you ashamed of the Word.
We encourage all of you today to value, and never be ashamed, of what the Lord tells you to do. He will never tell you to do something that conflicts with His Word. It may seem impossible, but all things are possible with God. It may challenge your senses, but we walk by faith and not by sight. Do not let Satan override the Word of God with his lies.
For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11, Amplified Bible)
