The Testing Begins...

I found the following on a Lutheran site:

"The Road to Holiness."
A seeker after truth came to a saint for guidance.
"Tell me, wise one, how did you become holy?"
"Two words."
"And what are they, please?"
"Right choices."
The seeker was fascinated. "How does one learn to choose rightly?"
"One word."
"One word! May I have it, please?" the seeker asked.
"Growth."
The seeker was thrilled. "How does one grow?"
"Two words."
"What are they, pray tell?"
"Wrong choices."

I believe that this is God's purpose in times of testing -- to help us grow -- to show us that we have the faith and ability to stand up to the testing -- that we will trust God in difficult times -- to strengthen our faith and Christian character. At the same time, Satan has his own purpose -- to turn the testees away from God -- to "tempt" them to sin.
Every other time peirazo is used in Mark, the "testers" are human beings (always Pharisees): asking for a sign from heaven (8:11); asking about the legality of divorce (10:2); and with the Herodians, asking about paying taxes (12:15).
I think that most of the "testings" of our faith come through the 'back door'..not obviously or directly from Satan or demonic beings, but from and through other people. That way, we are more easily deceived.
Oh and I found the following exerpt that made me think:
Jesus rebukes Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things" (8:33)
In this case, "Satan" seems to be anyone whose mind is not set on divine things -- who seeks to stand in the way of Jesus (or us?) fulfilling God's purpose in our lives.