Guarding Our Minds

The Christian faith is mostly based in things that we cannot see. We cannot see the good things, which most of us wish we could see. But, we also aren't able to see the bad things. I think I like that better anyway!

In Mark 8, Jesus is telling the disciples that He's going to have to die and leave them. Peter tries to take Him aside and tell Him otherwise, but Jesus responds by saying "Get behind me Satan!"

We all know that Peter is not Satan. We know that if Satan was somehow living within Peter at that point in time, Jesus' response would have been a lot different.So, what I believe was happening is that Jesus understood that sinful thoughts were the root of Peter's response. All sin comes from Satan, so Jesus, in turn, tells Satan to get behind Him.

I think this is a really clear example of how easily we can become a catalyst for sin in our lives. Peter was one of Jesus' closest friends and a devoted follower. He had heard Jesus tell them multiple times how to live a good and sinless life, but yet in this moment, still allows himself to be a sinful vessel in an attack on Jesus. Without knowing it of course.

There's a chance that we're that vessel at times. Maybe we think we know the way God wants things to be and try to make those things happen without actually talking to God about them. It may be that Satan is leading us down a road that we think is right, in order for him to gain something that is wrong.

The same goes for when we are listening to the advice of someone else. They may think they have God's plans in mind, but God's plans don't always make the most sense. Who would have thought that the greatest prophet to ever live was only sent to die? How would Peter have ever known that allowing his Teacher to die was the right thing to do? God's ways are greater than ours though,

The conclusion is that sin is everywhere. Sometimes we're going to be a vessel for it without even knowing it. Sometimes our friends are going to be a vessel for it without knowing it and may give us leadership or advice out of sinful thoughts that no one can see through.

Jesus is the only way to break free from that sin and to purify our vessels to be filled with love. That's why it's a daily battle. Living for Jesus isn't a one time decision. It's a decision to sign up for a lifetime of service, spending every day in battle against the enemy, fighting for the freedom to share love to the people around us.