Matthew 16:21-23
‘From that time Jesus began to point out to His disciples that it was necessary for Him to go to Jerusalem and to suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and to be killed, and to be raised up on the third day. And yet Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You!” But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s purposes, but men’s.”
Jesus makes a good point. Where do we put our emphasis? On God’s purposes or men’s. The disciples were learning. A few minutes prior Jesus praised Peter for identifying that He is the Christ. Jesus further says that God told him that. Now Peter gets rebuked pushing Satan’s ideas.
We go through the same training, what’s of God and what’s not. Some things are neutral. The big measure is God’s Word. We are to align our lives with it. We are to present it to the world.
However, there are many things in life that aren’t in the bible that we are to decide. God has some input there. Hebrews 5:12-14 gives us some insight, “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the actual words of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unacquainted with the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to distinguish between good and evil.”
The last sentence speaks of having our senses trained to distinguish good and evil. When the author speaks of senses he isn’t speaking of our physical ones, like taste and smell. He is addressing spiritual senses. A big sense is discerning God’s peace in our hearts. As we seek to make a desision we might feel the peace come stronger or dissipate. I believe that is one way God influences us.
Another way God influences our decisions is through closed and opened doors. Acts 16:6-10 gives some examples of the apostles dealing with this. We see them allowing God to guide them through closed and open doors. In Peter’s conversation with Jesus he just spoke what was entering his mind. The first thought was from God and the second from Satan. He didn’t know the difference.
God wants us to walk with Him according to His ways. The bible gives us much guidance. We are also to allow the Spirit to influence us through His peace and opened and closed doors we enjoy walking with God.
What an amazing concept to walk with God. If this were packaged right many would give millions to walk with God for a day. They aren’t aware that they can, however they don’t want to give up the control of their lives and go the way of the cross.
We have been adopted by God and He has taught us to walk closely with Him. Romans 8:14-16 speaks of the intimacy God has with us, ‘For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons and daughters of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons and daughters by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God’.
Lord, thank You that You want to walk with us closely. We are so privileged that You’ve adopted us, love us and guide us. Thank You.