Articles
Move Over Satan
Is someone or something holding you back? You may question, "holding me back from what"? Is there someone, or several someone's in your life that are keeping you from doing what you know you ought to be doing? Do you have good friends or even family, that, while not evil by any means, are somehow standing between you and God?
Do you feel like you have to use 4 letter words around them, perhaps tell or laugh at nasty jokes because of them? Maybe you feel the urge to pursue some other habit, alcohol, pornography. Maybe it even spills over into politics, so that you side with someone politically that you know is morally wrong on an issue, in the name of friendship?
When it comes to talking about matters of Spiritual importance, sometimes frankness is required. Sometimes, we just have to risk offending someone to say what needs to be said. Maybe it's time to tell them to get out of your way, and not be so subtle about it.
In Matthew 16:23 (and Mark 8:33), Jesus was explaining to His disciples that He was going to die, that bad people were about to arrest and kill Him, to which one disciple lovingly said "Never, Lord! This shall never happen to you!". Jesus didn't pull Peter aside and have a quiet chat with him, but in the presence of everyone said, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have the concerns of God, but merely human concerns."
I've no idea how Peter felt, probably very hurt, maybe humiliated, but as with other passages where Jesus has to straighten out Peter's thinking, I also suspect Peter instantly understood that his own desires and worldly view had clouded his judgment and misaligned his purpose with that of Christ.
You know, our telling someone to get out of our way spiritually doesn't mean we lose them as a friend, or that we no longer associate with them. Peter didn't leave Jesus, and Jesus didn't dis-own Peter. Our telling a friend that we are going to stop bad habits, and pursue a more God directed life just might cause them to want to join with us. Wouldn't that be great?!
