Matthew 16:15-23
15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 19 “And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then He commanded His disciples that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ. 21 From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. 22 Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” 23 But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982.

What voice are your hearing today? Are you hearing from God and walking in obedience to that voice? Or are you hearing from your enemy who would keep ineffective for Christ? It is not important which voice you hear, but which voice you obey. Just as God speaks to all of us, so Satan also speaks to us. Only his purpose is to keep you ineffective for God or to completely turn you away from Him. Satan would have you dead if he could. Peter was walking with Christ and yet Satan whispered in his ear and Peter acted on that voice. Notice that Jesus did not rebuke Peter, but the voice he had listened to. Shortly before Peter had heard the voice of God and acted on it, as Christ told him that the truth he stated was not revealed to him by Peter’s own wisdom, but came from God the Father. These verses show us that we will walk with Christ, but yet will hear from our enemy. We need to be able to discern where the voice we hear is coming from. God will keep us safe in His care as we turn to Him and walk in obedience to His Word. But we need to know the Word to obey it. Pray for discernment as you walk with Christ to know where the voice is coming from that you hear. If it is from God obey it, if it is from Satan rebuke it. God will lift you up but Satan will tear you down. You have the power of the Spirit of God living within you, use that power to hear His voice and act on His will. Your connection to Christ is only as strong as your understanding of Him. Hear what He is saying to you today and then go and walk according to that Word.

Have a God Day!