Simon’s voice, Satan’s voice
‘Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of man’ (Matt. 16: 23, NIV).
Jesus wanted to find out what people were saying about who He was. So He asked His disciples and they replied, “Well, some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, some Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” After He got the people’s opinions, He now asked the disciples to know who they thought He was. Peter would allow no one to talk before He did: “You are the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus was highly impressed by Peter’s response. He confirmed to Peter that he got his answer through the Spirit’s revelation. Jesus continued: “I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not overcome it…” When Peter got a revelation of who Jesus was, Jesus too gave him a revelation of himself. Without a personal discovery of who Jesus really is, one cannot truly discover himself.
Meanwhile, four verses away from the incident above, Jesus had just spoken plainly about how it was necessary for Him to go to Jerusalem to suffer at the hands of the religious leaders, be killed and on the third day, be raised to life. But Peter took Him aside and ‘corrected’ Him, “Impossible, Master! God forbid! This will never happen to you!” Then Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from me, Satan!” It is quite surprising that Jesus faced Peter but was talking to Satan. Jesus couldn’t have mistaken Peter for Satan because Jesus just told him that he was Peter.
Of course, Jesus didn’t talk the way He did just to make Peter feel bad. He actually was talking to Satan who had just spoken to Jesus using the voice of Peter. Peter was not even aware that he was under satanic influence until Jesus rebuked the devil that was speaking through him. This must have taught him to check whatever he was going to say next time.
Today, we also hear the voice of Satan. It even comes through well-meaning people who ignorantly try to take us away from the divine blueprint for our lives. Some of these voices suggest to us to do things which God told us not to do. Some of them stand against what God is leading us to do while others utter lots of negative things about us. You should learn to shut the devil up that speaks to you through anyone by employing your authority in Christ. All misleading voices speaking to you are silenced today in Jesus name!
Today’s Corporate Prayer: I paralyze every satanic counsel from well-meaning friends and friendly enemies. In Christ Jesus mighty name!
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Tabitha omobolanle Faleye is a lover of Christ and His works and a copy writer/content developer.
