by tumaini lutenta | 27 July 2019 08:46 pm07
Based on Mark 8:31–33
“And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. And He said this plainly. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. But turning and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and said, ‘Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.’”
— Mark 8:31–33, ESV
This moment in Jesus’ ministry marks a critical theological teaching on spiritual discernment and the nature of Satan’s deception. Christ reveals how Satan manipulates human thinking—even among His closest followers—by redirecting their focus from God’s eternal plan to temporary, worldly concerns.
Peter thought he was offering support when he rebuked Jesus for speaking about His death. His intentions seemed good. But despite his loyalty, Peter had unknowingly become a mouthpiece for Satan.
This shows us that Satan doesn’t always come with horns and threats—he often comes disguised in well-meaning thoughts. The Apostle Paul warns us:
“And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.”
— 2 Corinthians 11:14, ESV
Jesus had just revealed the divine necessity of the cross—that the Son of Man must suffer, die, and rise again. This was not just a prediction but the fulfillment of prophecy and the redemptive plan of God (Isaiah 53:5–6). Peter’s reaction contradicted that plan, even though it sounded caring. That’s why Jesus sharply rebuked him.
When Jesus said, “You are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man,” He revealed that the battleground is our thoughts. Satan doesn’t need to possess us to influence us—he only needs to inject a deceptive idea.
The Bible teaches that every believer must guard their mind:
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God.”
— Romans 12:2, ESV
“For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.”
— 2 Corinthians 10:4–5, ESV
Even Peter—who had just confessed that Jesus was the Christ (Mark 8:29)—failed to recognize when his thinking was out of alignment with God’s will. Why? Because, at that moment, he didn’t weigh his thoughts against God’s revealed Word.
Jesus identifies Satan’s core strategy: to fix our minds on temporary, human concerns instead of eternal ones. The enemy wants us preoccupied with safety, success, comfort, and survival, rather than sacrifice, obedience, and eternity.
“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”
— Colossians 3:2, NIV
Satan doesn’t want you to think about death, judgment, or eternity. He wants you to plan for retirement—but never for what comes after. That’s why Jesus called out Peter’s rebuke—it wasn’t aligned with God’s redemptive mission.
This also explains why Satan resists funerals, suffering, or any situation that might prompt spiritual reflection. The wise, however, embrace these moments:
“It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart.”
— Ecclesiastes 7:2, ESV
“The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.”
— Ecclesiastes 7:4, NKJV
Jesus did not rebuke Peter himself, but the influence behind him. And that’s key: we must learn to discern between the person and the spirit or idea motivating them. Scripture makes it clear:
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers… against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”
— Ephesians 6:12, ESV
So how do we fight back?
Turning from sin in heart and action (Luke 13:3; Acts 3:19).
Full immersion in water in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins:
“Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
— Acts 2:38, ESV
The Holy Spirit becomes our daily guide and teacher:
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit… He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”
— John 14:26, ESV
“When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth.”
— John 16:13, ESV
Peter was rebuked because he failed to understand the Scriptures fully. If he had known Isaiah 53 or Psalm 22, he would’ve realized that the Messiah must suffer. This lack of scriptural knowledge left him vulnerable to Satan’s “compassionate” but dangerous suggestion.
That’s why Scripture is described as a sword:
“Take… the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
— Ephesians 6:17, ESV
“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword…”
— Hebrews 4:12, ESV
Knowing the Word gives you the power to identify and reject satanic ideas. Without it, you’ll mistake Satan’s lies for human empathy.
Don’t fall for Satan’s trap of living only for this world. His goal is to blind people from thinking about eternity (2 Corinthians 4:4). But God calls us to prepare not just for this life—but for the next.
“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
— 2 Corinthians 4:18, NIV
Reject Satan’s thoughts. Reject temporary thinking. Embrace the mind of Christ. And keep your heart set on God’s eternal purpose.
“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”
— Philippians 2:5, KJV
May the Lord bless you and give you discernment to reject every thought not aligned with His truth.
Stay rooted in Scripture. Be filled with the Spirit. And fix your eyes on.
Source URL: https://wingulamashahidi.org/en/2019/07/27/reject-satan-and-his-human-centered-thinking/
Copyright ©2025 Wingu la Mashahidi unless otherwise noted.