In Matthew 16:22-24, we are introduced to something that most of us have never thought of–some words while coming from our mouth actually have their source from Satan.
Notice what is going on! It is Jesus and Peter, but notice that a third person is mentioned. This is known as the Law of Double Reference in Theology.
The words spoken came from Peter, that is, from his mouth. They were his words, but the words were influenced or even authored by another spirit. The true source of the words was Satan. Again, Jesus did not pay as much attention to what was said than to spirit behind it. Read what Jesus said: Ge thee behind me, Satan: thou are an offence unto me…. Jesus knew the true intention of the words and that the source was Satan. Whatever the words would have been, it was the source or the spirit behind it that Jesus knew and focused on.
Here Jesus would have been and probably was misunderstood. He was walking in the Spirit and identified what was behind the lines and the saw through the veil that it was Satan.
People can say great things about us with honey on top and we still must look between the lines and see what spirit is behind those words.
They are key words, phrases, or sentences that Satan can use against us and we must recognize them. Whether in speech or in written words, we need to know the source of such words, phrases, and sentences. We must know, without thinking, the true spirit behind them. And we, like Jesus, must say in one form or another, “Get thee behind me, Satan: thou are an offence unto me…”
Satan knows what hurts us; he knows what will entice us. And he will definitely speak through people. There are three sources of words: God, Satan, and the flesh. The flesh is just what we want or desire, speaking about a news program or about what the pastor just preached. The words mostly coming from our mouths are those which originate from us. However, there are words which originate from God or Satan. And these are spoken through us. We need to guard what we say; we need to guard the words, even if they are sweet, kind, and nice. Not everything that glitters is of God.