CONCERT OF PRAYER

Pray Week 822

“Wise Counsel”

Matthew 16:21-23 (ESV)        … Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

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There exists a wide diversity of options available to us for advice or counsel.  We can hire a lawyer or counselor, visit with our pastor or priest or call our parents or a mentor.  Some use chat rooms on the internet while others write letters to newspaper advice columnists.

We all need counsel from time to time and we rely on others with more experience to help fill in the blanks.

The problem is that not all counsel is good counsel let alone wise counsel.  Counsel obtained from several sources will most often conflict bringing more confusion rather than clarity to the issue. As Christians in this fallen world, we often receive worldly counsel along with biblically-based wise counsel.  The wisdom of the world and subsequently its counsel is often hedonistic, selfish and vengeful.  Biblical counsel is selfless and loving. God’s counsel will always lead you into a closer relationship with Him.

In our reference Scripture, Jesus received unsolicited counsel from Peter and rebuked him for it.  This is the same Peter whose inspired declaration Jesus affirmed just moments before saying  …“Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven”.  Matt 16:17

The example set by Jesus in this Scripture is an important one for us.  Note that Jesus was able to discern the source of the two statements made by Peter.  The first statement was in accord with God’s Word and the second had its root in Satan’s wilderness temptation of Jesus. The lessons for us are two-fold:

(1.) If you give counsel, wash it in prayer first.  Be sure that you do not seek to further your own agenda or justification for your own actions through your advice.  If you cannot speak under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, you should not speak at all.

(2.) If you receive counsel, filter it through God’s Word and through prayer.  It is by listening to the indwelling Holy Spirit that you are able to discern God’s counsel from that of the world.

…I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper,to be with you forever …You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you …But the Helper, the Holy Spirit …will teach you all things…. – John 14:16;26

Be sure not to gravitate toward what you want to hear, but rather be open to what God wants you to hear.  Listen to the voice of truth of God’s Word.  Be honest with yourself concerning your motives for your favored direction to take.

He who has ears to hear, let him hear. – Matthew 11:15

May your heart and mind be keenly attuned to the leading of the Holy Spirit as you follow Christ’s path and plan for you.