Matthew Chapters 16–17: Faith, Pride, and Surrender
In Matthew 16, the Pharisees and Sadducees came to Yahushua, demanding a sign from heaven. What’s interesting is that by this point, Yahushua had already performed many signs from Shamayim (heaven) — feeding the five thousand, feeding the four thousand, healing the blind, and restoring the sick. Yet, despite witnessing all these miracles, they still refused to believe.
I think we all have moments like that — when Abba Yahuah has shown us His faithfulness time and time again, but in moments of difficulty, we forget. That truth hits home for me. The enemy loves to whisper lies, manipulating and deceiving us into believing that Father has forgotten us. But he’s a liar. Seeing isn’t always believing; if your heart is already convinced that something isn’t true, no amount of proof will change your mind — and that’s exactly how the Pharisees and Sadducees were.
Their pride and jealousy blinded them. They couldn’t stand Yahushua’s authority and the way the people followed Him. They searched for ways to discredit Him — and ultimately, to destroy Him.
Yahushua warned His disciples to beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees — meaning their teachings and hypocrisy. Just as yeast spreads through dough, their influence could spread through the hearts of many if not guarded carefully.
Later, Yahushua revealed deep truths to His disciples. Only Peter was shown the revelation that Yahushua is the Messiah, and only three disciples witnessed His transfiguration on the mountain with Moses and Elijah (Matthew 17).
When they returned, a man approached Yahushua, desperate for his son to be healed from a demon. The other disciples had tried, but could not help him. Yahushua healed the boy, and when they asked why they had failed, He answered:
📖 Matthew 17:20 (NIV)
He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
That verse always challenges me. How often do we let fear and doubt overshadow our faith? Even a tiny bit of faith — the size of a mustard seed — can move mountains. Those Yahushua healed believed He could, and that faith opened the door for their miracle.
For me, faith is hardest to hold when fear and doubt feel loudest. I struggle with this often, but I’ve learned to fight back by reminding myself that the enemy is a liar, manipulator, and deceiver. Speaking that truth out loud has helped strengthen my confidence in Father’s faithfulness and silence the enemy’s lies.
Yahushua also reminded His disciples — and us — that following Him requires self-denial and surrender:
📖 Matthew 16:24–28 (NIV)
Then Yahushua said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.
For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.
What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?
For the Son of Man is going to come in His Father’s glory with His angels, and then He will reward each person according to what they have done.”
There’s much debate about whether Yahushua died on a stake or a cross, but the message remains the same: we must deny ourselves. To me, that means crucifying the desires of the flesh — the pride, fear, and comfort that hold us back — and walking as Yahushua did.
He faced pain, rejection, and persecution, yet still walked in perfect obedience. He reminded us that “the servant is not above the master.” If we choose to follow Him, we too will face trials.
At first, that realization was frightening. But the longer I walk this narrow path, the more I see Father’s hand in everything. The veil between the physical and spiritual feels thinner, and I can sense His presence guiding me even in the hardest moments.
The link below 👇 will take to the reading of these chapters
As always, I encourage you to meditate on these chapters and let the Spirit show you how they apply to your own walk.
Much Love,
Ruth4Yah 💖
No comments:
Post a Comment