Matthew 16:21-23 / Mark 8:31-33 / Luke 9:22…
Wherever God is moving powerfully, Satan is sure to be there to try and counter. Peter had just been given the great revelation of Jesus as the Christ. Jesus spoke of His resurrection, and how His church would prevail against all opposition. Immediately we see an attack, and it comes from within the inner circle of the disciples. Peter, used by the Father to reveal who Jesus really was, is now being used by the Enemy. Don’t think spiritual triumphs give you a free pass on discernment; on the contrary, they make you a target.
Can we expect to fare any better? How easily we let the circumstances of this world enter into our thoughts of doing God’s work. We must be ever mindful of what God’s plan and purpose is, and not let our own desire to do “right” interfere with our judgment. We must not presume upon the fact that we love the Lord, even when we are in the very presence of God.
Remember, the Devil had tried to get Jesus to avoid His purpose to suffer before (Matthew 4:8-11). Now he was back. How careful, then, must we be today, given these examples? Jesus had to do what He came to do in history, and also in our lives, but how often we want to hinder His work by our own thoughts of how things ought to proceed. The enemy of our souls is waiting to strike, and often it is just after our moments of triumph that he lays the trap. Why then would you think that you might never say or do the wrong thing in spiritual matters?
Don’t let down your guard. Just when you think you’ve won, the Devil is aiming his darts.
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