Get Behind Me, Satan

Matthew 16:23

But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.

Some people thinking they are protecting you are really blocking you. There can be some well meaning people in your life who are being used by the enemy and they don’t even know it. It’s easy to spot the devil in hateful people and jealous people who try to block your advancement in life, work, and ministry, but it’s not always that easy to see the devil at work in some of your closest friends. We always think that those closest to us will always tell us what’s right but they too can be used by Satan if you are not careful.

Jesus had just commended Peter for allowing the Holy Sprit to use him to rightly reveal that Jesus was the Son of the living God. Jesus said to Peter, “On this Rock (Peter’s confession of faith), I will build my church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.“ Then, Jesus gave Peter the Keys of the Kingdom of heaven and the authority to bind and loose on earth.

But right after that Jesus tells the disciples they will be handed over to the chief priests to be killed and after three days be raised. Peter didn’t like that ending for Jesus’ life. Friends don’t let Friends die. So Peer took Jesus to the side. Peter said, “This ain’t going to happen to you.” Jesus turns and says to the man he just blessed and says, “Get Behind me Satan!” How does he bless him in one breath and call him Satan in the Next?!

It can happen that quickly. People who are used of the Holy Spirit can also be influenced by Satan if they let him. It happened to your Mother…Eve. She knew through direct revelation from God not to eat from the tree of the Knowledge of good and evil. She had been given the keys to paradise, but she allowed Satan to influence her. In turn, she went and offered the devil’s advice to the one closest to her, Adam. Adam should have rebuked her, but instead, he ate it hook, line, and sin-ker.

When do you tell a friend to get back?

1. When you hear things contrary to what God has already told you. Jesus knew who he was and what his mission from God was. From Childhood he knew. He told his mother and father at age 12, "Did you not know that I would be in my Father’s house?” When you know who you are early people can’t change your mind later.

2. When you hear the enemies voice in the mouth of a friend. Jesus wasn’t calling Peter, Satan. He was speaking to the Spirit trying to influence his friend. Peter would become one of the greatest apostles after Jesus' death, but Satan tried to sift Peter, influence Peter, and Peter denied Jesus. But Jesus knowing the potential of Peter came back to restore him. It goes to show that you can be very anointed but still be at risk to be used by Satan. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

3. When they want the things of men and not the things of God. Man’s way is not God’s way, as high as the heaven is from the earth, so is God’s way from man’s way. Don’t let your friends talk you into what’s popular when God has called you to die to the way that men do things.

Dear God, help me to discern when you are talking and when Satan is talking through my friends. No matter how anointed they appear to be always allow me to know who I am and what you are saying before I bite into bad advice sent from the enemy. Put the devil behind me and Jesus in front of me. I always want to hear your voice above all.

In Jesus Name.

Amen.