Overcoming Stumbling Blocks: A Journey of Faith
Summary
In today's reflection, we explored the profound journey of faith through the lens of Peter's experiences with Jesus, particularly focusing on the concept of stumbling blocks and the battlefield of the mind. We began by acknowledging that, like Peter, we all face moments of doubt and misunderstanding in our walk with God. These moments, often orchestrated by Satan, serve as stumbling blocks that can either hinder or deepen our faith. The key is to recognize these challenges and use them as opportunities for growth.
Peter's journey is a testament to the transformative power of recognizing Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God. Despite his initial misconceptions and the human tendency to resist God's will, Peter's story illustrates the importance of allowing God to open our minds and hearts to His truth. This transformation is not a one-time event but a continuous process of learning and submitting to God's will, even when it contradicts our own understanding.
We also discussed the importance of discernment in recognizing the signs of the times and the spiritual battles we face daily. The media and societal influences often attack our minds, creating confusion and doubt. However, by focusing on God's truth and using the powerful declaration, "Get thee behind me, Satan," we can resist these attacks and align ourselves with God's will.
Ultimately, the journey of faith is about submitting our will to God's, allowing Him to guide us through the challenges and into a deeper relationship with Him. As we approach the Easter season, let us reflect on the significance of Jesus' death and resurrection, understanding that it is through His sacrifice that we find the strength to overcome our stumbling blocks and grow in our faith.
Key Takeaways:
1. Stumbling Blocks as Growth Opportunities: Like Peter, we all encounter stumbling blocks in our faith journey. These challenges, often orchestrated by Satan, can either hinder or deepen our relationship with God. Recognizing and overcoming these obstacles can lead to spiritual growth and a deeper understanding of God's will. [01:29]
2. The Power of Recognizing Jesus: Peter's declaration of Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God, highlights the transformative power of recognizing Jesus' true identity. This recognition is crucial for a personal relationship with God and is revealed through the Spirit, not human understanding. [12:46]
3. The Battlefield of the Mind: Our minds are constantly under attack by societal influences and spiritual forces. By using discernment and focusing on God's truth, we can resist these attacks and align ourselves with His will. The declaration "Get thee behind me, Satan" is a powerful tool in this spiritual battle. [16:58]
4. Submitting to God's Will: The journey of faith involves submitting our will to God's, even when it contradicts our understanding. This submission allows God to guide us through challenges and into a deeper relationship with Him. It is a continuous process of learning and growth. [28:22]
5. The Significance of Easter: As we approach the Easter season, we are reminded of the significance of Jesus' death and resurrection. It is through His sacrifice that we find the strength to overcome our stumbling blocks and grow in our faith. Understanding and celebrating these events deepen our relationship with God. [13:24]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:08] - Introduction to Service and Stumbling Blocks
- [00:53] - Personal Experiences of Stumbling
- [01:48] - The Battle of the Mind
- [02:19] - Peter's Journey and Stumbling Blocks
- [03:30] - Signs of the Times and Discernment
- [04:32] - Who Do You Say I Am?
- [06:12] - The Challenge of Changing Minds
- [07:40] - Frustration in Sharing Faith
- [09:48] - Media's Influence on the Mind
- [10:46] - Personal Relationship with Jesus
- [12:23] - Peter's Declaration of Faith
- [14:01] - Learning and Growth in Faith
- [16:43] - Satan's Attack on the Mind
- [19:16] - God's Will vs. Human Understanding
- [22:02] - Peter's Misunderstanding of God's Plan
- [24:49] - Jesus' Correction and Satan's Influence
- [28:08] - Submitting to God's Will
- [30:12] - The Power of "Get Thee Behind Me, Satan"
- [31:13] - Closing Remarks and Prayer
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Matthew 16:13-23
- Ephesians 6:10-18 (The Armor of God)
- 1 Peter 5:8-9 (Be sober-minded; be watchful)
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Observation Questions:
1. In Matthew 16:13-23, what question does Jesus ask His disciples, and how does Peter respond? How does Jesus react to Peter's declaration? [10:24]
2. What does Jesus mean when He tells Peter, "Get thee behind me, Satan"? How does this relate to the concept of stumbling blocks mentioned in the sermon? [23:57]
3. According to the sermon, what role does discernment play in recognizing the signs of the times and spiritual battles? [03:45]
4. How does the sermon describe the influence of media and societal pressures on our minds? What is the suggested response to these influences? [09:16]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. Why is Peter's declaration of Jesus as the Christ significant for his personal faith journey, and how does it serve as a turning point in the sermon? [11:24]
2. How does the sermon explain the continuous process of learning and submitting to God's will, even when it contradicts our understanding? What does this reveal about the nature of faith? [21:28]
3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that Satan uses stumbling blocks to challenge our faith, and how can these challenges be transformed into growth opportunities? [01:29]
4. How does the sermon connect the significance of Easter with the strength to overcome stumbling blocks in our faith journey? [13:24]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a recent situation where you faced a stumbling block in your faith. How did you respond, and what could you do differently next time to turn it into a growth opportunity? [01:29]
2. Consider the declaration "Get thee behind me, Satan" as a tool in spiritual battles. How can you incorporate this declaration into your daily life to resist negative influences? [23:57]
3. Identify a specific area in your life where you struggle to submit your will to God's. What steps can you take to align your understanding with God's will? [21:28]
4. How can you practice discernment in recognizing societal influences that may lead you away from God's truth? What practical actions can you take to focus on God's truth? [03:45]
5. As Easter approaches, how can you deepen your understanding and appreciation of Jesus' death and resurrection in your personal faith journey? [13:24]
6. Think of a time when media or societal pressures have influenced your thoughts or actions. How can you create boundaries to protect your mind from these influences? [09:16]
7. Reflect on the role of community in supporting your faith journey. How can your small group help each other recognize and overcome stumbling blocks? [01:29]
Devotional
Day 1: Stumbling Blocks as Stepping Stones
In our journey of faith, we often encounter stumbling blocks that challenge our beliefs and understanding of God. These obstacles, sometimes orchestrated by Satan, can either hinder our spiritual growth or become opportunities for deeper faith. Like Peter, who faced moments of doubt and misunderstanding, we are called to recognize these challenges and use them as stepping stones toward a stronger relationship with God. By viewing stumbling blocks as opportunities for growth, we can transform our faith journey into a continuous process of learning and spiritual development. [01:29]
"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness." (James 1:2-3, ESV)
Reflection: Identify a recent stumbling block in your life. How can you view it as an opportunity for growth and deepen your faith through it today?
Day 2: The Transformative Power of Recognizing Jesus
Peter's declaration of Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God, highlights the transformative power of recognizing Jesus' true identity. This recognition is not based on human understanding but is revealed through the Spirit. It is crucial for developing a personal relationship with God and allows us to see beyond our misconceptions and resistances. By acknowledging Jesus' true nature, we open ourselves to the transformative work of God in our lives, leading to a deeper and more authentic faith. [12:46]
"And Simon Peter replied, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.' And Jesus answered him, 'Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.'" (Matthew 16:16-17, ESV)
Reflection: Reflect on your understanding of Jesus' identity. How does recognizing Him as the Christ transform your relationship with God today?
Day 3: The Mind as a Spiritual Battlefield
Our minds are constantly under attack by societal influences and spiritual forces that create confusion and doubt. The battlefield of the mind is where discernment and focus on God's truth become essential. By using the powerful declaration, "Get thee behind me, Satan," we can resist these attacks and align ourselves with God's will. This spiritual battle requires vigilance and a commitment to grounding ourselves in God's truth to overcome the negative influences that seek to derail our faith. [16:58]
"For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds." (2 Corinthians 10:3-4, ESV)
Reflection: What negative influences are currently attacking your mind? How can you use God's truth to resist them today?
Day 4: The Journey of Submitting to God's Will
The journey of faith involves submitting our will to God's, even when it contradicts our understanding. This submission allows God to guide us through challenges and into a deeper relationship with Him. It is a continuous process of learning and growth, where we learn to trust in God's plan over our own. By surrendering our will, we open ourselves to the transformative work of God, allowing Him to lead us into a more profound and fulfilling faith journey. [28:22]
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you struggle to submit to God's will? What steps can you take today to surrender this area to Him?
Day 5: The Significance of Easter in Our Faith Journey
As we approach the Easter season, we are reminded of the significance of Jesus' death and resurrection. It is through His sacrifice that we find the strength to overcome our stumbling blocks and grow in our faith. Understanding and celebrating these events deepen our relationship with God, as they remind us of the transformative power of Jesus' love and the hope of eternal life. Easter is a time to reflect on the profound impact of Jesus' sacrifice and to renew our commitment to following Him. [13:24]
"For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his." (Romans 6:5, ESV)
Reflection: How does the significance of Easter inspire you to overcome your current challenges and grow in your faith today?
Quotes
All of us here will stumble with what I'm going to preach on today but when we stumble we can actually grow in our walk with God here and we can actually go deeper and we can grow deeper in our relationship and we can actually grow and reach more people here and it's a question that you're going to probably be faced with every day here is satanic opposition in your mind. [00:01:18]
There's not a day that I thank God for all of these things that he has for me but there's not a day that sometimes Satan puts something in my mind here, okay, that is not the will of God here and I have to tell Satan here you're not getting in the will of God for my life here you're going to have to get behind thee. [00:01:41]
Jesus here had been talking to the religious leaders of the day and they wanted some proof of who he was here and so Jesus when you look at the first part of the chapter here in Matthew 16 he told him to look up in the sky and when you can see some things with your eyes here you can use discernment when it's going to rain when it's going to storm. [00:03:23]
The only way that people can see who God is is God's got to get hold of the mind and the heart and open up the eyes and look very quickly right here look what he says right here okay he saith unto them look at verse 13 he saith unto them "But whom you say that I am?" [00:10:04]
Simon Peter answered with his mouth and said "Thou art who folks thou art the Christ." You're the anointed one here the son of who folks now why does he say the living God here it's exactly what this really goes with Natalie here buddhists have a dead god okay we have a living God okay. [00:11:29]
He saith unto them "But whom you say that I am?" Now notice here he turns the question right he turns to the people and he says "Who do other people say I am?" Now that he's turning to all of his disciples and he asks a question who do you say that I am. [00:10:14]
Peter his mind was opened up by who now God goes on to tell Peter what he's going to do and we're not going to look at this here but he goes on to tell Peter you know what Peter you're going to do if you read the book of Acts Peter goes on and introduces the keys of the kingdom of God here. [00:15:21]
Satan wants to attack your mind do you understand here he wants to attack your mind it's the battlefield if you were in addictions ministry uh Wednesday night can I get amen okay it is the battlefield where Satan thoughts that's why he fights and he uses all different types of people to try to have all different ways to heaven here. [00:16:43]
He was trying to get truth to his mind here but I want you to notice what happens here from that time look at verse 21 from that time forth right after he tells them to don't tell no man who Christ was it's got to be the work of the Holy Spirit here but look what he says from that time forth began to Jesus to show unto. [00:17:44]
Peter is a prime example it's coming the resurrection time here and he says "You got salvation right you let God speak to your heart." And a lot of people here I'm talking to you're saved but the part of the will of God sometimes that we have a problem of we get something in our mind here and we will not let God speak to us. [00:21:25]
There are a lot of times that I need to submit my will i said submit my will not surrender my will i need to submit my will to God's will you understand here if you're having a fight here in the mind here who do you need to submit to you need to say "Hey God I I I don't want to be a stumbling block to you." [00:28:08]
If you're ever under attack spiritually how many have ever been under attack spiritually raise your hand it is important for you to say to register that is Satan up there trying to teach me to go against what God's will you need to learn to say get thee behind thee Satan amen you need to learn to say that is your weapon here. [00:29:14]
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