Monday, February 7, 2022

Today's Passage - Matthew 16:21-23

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english
Matthew 16:21-23
From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. "Never, Lord!" he said. "This shall never happen to you!" 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 men."
There's a big difference between this passage and the previous passages. Previously, Peter received God's revelation and spoke out this great revelation: "You are Christ, the Son of the living God." But here, after he heard that Jesus would be persecuted, he immediately wanted to help out of a good will. He could never imagine that he would be rebuked on the spot! Indeed, Peter was serving God with his worldly life. He didn't understand at all that he was in a serious spiritual battle. He didn't understand at all what was going on. He neither knew when the spirit of God would touch him to speak out such a great testimony, nor did he know when Satan would use him to block God's work.
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Today, Christians are often like Peter of that time. We don't understand the concept of spiritual battle, neither do we understand how God's spirit works in us. Moreover, we don't understand how Satan entices us in our daily lives so that we keep losing our battles. Because we are not keen to the work of the Holy Spirit in a battle, nor to the principle of spiritual battles, we often fall into our enemies' trap.
In our gatherings, sometimes while God's spirit is working, our enemies are flying likes birds, trying to snatch the work done by God's spirit. That happens when one is in a gathering, but has the spirit of complain. No matter what God's words are spoken at the lectern, we are still filled with bitter complains inside. The spirit of complain pushes those good seeds that God has sow out of the door. We often have serious spiritual battles in our hearts. May the Spirit of God lead us to rejoice everyday, and to overcome our circumstance.
We often allow our circumstance to affect our spirit and our daily emotions. After we understand the reality of spiritual battles, we understand that we need to come back to God, to rely on Him once again. Rely not on our own flesh, but the help of the Holy Spirit. May God shine upon us so that we will be victorious in our daily spiritual battles by Jesus Christ. May God's Spirit teach us to understand God's will, not people's will. May the Spirit of the Lord be our strength!
Pray with Pastor Tong
Lord, we thank you, for we are free because of your Spirit. Shine on us so that we can see whether it is a man's will or your will. May the Lord help us to choose your will and your way every day. Help us to overcome the temptation of the world with power of the Holy Spirit. I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!
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