The preacher might as well be mauled by the offensive line of the New Orleans Saints. The pastor's wife pulls her man off to the side three minutes before the service. "When we get home, I want to tell you what Mrs. Crenshaw said. She is so hateful, and I don't want to upset you now. Go get 'em, Tiger!"

Honestly, it hardly matters what the content of this negativity is. Whether the criticism is on-target or completely amiss, receiving it disturbs his inner calm and blurs his focus. Pastors should be protected from that.

The Lord Jesus was focused, not on an upcoming sermon, but something far heavier: a Roman cross awaiting Him just outside Jerusalem. In realms unfathomable to us and in dimensions of which we know nothing, our Lord was preparing to do battle with the prince of darkness. He would die, then be raised on the third day.

That's where His mind was.

"From that time Jesus Christ began to show 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 on the third day" (Matt. 16:21).

Perhaps the Lord was looking for encouragement or prayer support or was simply preparing the disciples for their own disillusionment when all this happened. I don't know.

But here's what happened.

"Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him: 'God forbid, Lord! This shall never happen to you!'"

A paraphrase of what Peter said might look like this: "Now, now, Lord. Get that negative thinking out of your head. We are not going to let this happen to our beloved Leader. You just stick close to us."

"But Jesus turned and said to Peter, 'Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's.'" (Matt. 16:21-23).

The word "satan" literally means "adversary."

Even well-meaning friends become your adversary when they distract you from the work God has given you to do.

Only someone with "his mind on God's interests" will understand this and see how it applies to the pastor as he approaches the pulpit to preach the Word and thus do battle with the devil in his own small way.

Some churches try to get this right ...

Dr. Steve Greene is now sharing stories, teachings, and conversations with guests who lead with love on Love Leads, a new podcast. Listen now.

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