Get The Behind Me Satan

“…Get thee behind me Satan!”

Matthew 16:13-23

One of the most exhilarating moments in our walk with God is when we have spoken on behalf of him and we feel the pleasure of it. You knew that is was God speaking through you to communicate his truth and wisdom. You sort of get this idea of “Where did that come from?” Peter had one of those moments. Jesus has just asked one of the most monumental questions that could ever be asked, “Who do men say that I the son of man am?” Peter responds “You are the Christ, the son of the living God.” Jesus would tell Peter the “Flesh and blood had not revealed this to you but my father in heaven.” This answer could only be spiritually believed and communicated. What a monumental revelation to an ignorant and unlearned fisherman.

After this declaration comes another monumental revelation. Jesus reveals for the first time that he was going to be given into the hands of his enemies and be crucified. Peter again is the first one to respond to this revelation and says “Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.” To this statement Jesus responds “Get thee behind me Satan thou art an offense unto me.” What a contrast in such a short time. How can Peter be so spiritual in one statement and be so carnal on the next statement, all in the same setting? It all depends on who he gives himself over too.

All of us want to be used by the Lord but do we realize it when we are being used by the devil? Peter didn’t realize that this statement he made went against the very idea of why Christ came into the world. He was thinking more of earthly things along earthly lines and not listening to Jesus with discerning or spiritual ears. Jesus understood the source behind Peter’s demonic resistance just as he discerned the source behind his great confession which was the Holy Spirit.

So how do we know if we say are spiritually or demonically influenced?

· By listening to what we say

· Discerning the motive behind our statement

Are we saying things negatively? Are we hindering God’s work by having a pessimistic approach to the task? Do we discourage people when they are struggling by being judgmental towards them and their condition. Words can be powerful and destructive and just like spilled milk we can never get them back. Satan wants to take every opportunity to beat down even more a wounded soul and many times through our lack of understanding, compassion, or legalistic mindset, we give ourselves over to him to kill, steal, and destroy that person instead of over to the Spirit to build up, heal, and revive the downtrodden soul.

Why do we say some of the things we say. Many times people desire to be truthful in their assessment of a person or situation. And being truthful is a noble thing. But some people take pride in their truthfulness and make out of it a badge of spirituality. They make themselves more spiritual by tearing down others and their God giving gift of honesty becomes a tool in the hand of Satan meant to hurt more that help. You might say “Well I just told them!” But why? Was it meant to make you feel better or them? Was it meant to restore or destroy.

There have been many people who God has gifted to do great task but never accomplished it because they were told that it can’t be done or you are not qualified. This is not the Spirit speaking but it is the devil trying to hinder the work of God and the advancement of the kingdom.

Paul said “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”Ephesians 4:29

Pastor Robby