"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8)

"Look both ways before you cross the street!"

We've all heard that warning . . . an attempt to keep us safe from possible injury while crossing the road!

"Be sober, be vigilant!"

We've read that warning . . . because our adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour!

We must be watchful against our foes, remaining constantly aware of their schemes and tricks to not only deceive us, but to wound us spiritually. We must watch carefully, as you would when you know you are in danger. We have to be on guard against the wiles and the power of our enemy.

The enemy is opposed to us . . . he resists our efforts to do good and all our efforts to obey God! He attempts to alarm us by his roar . . . he would have us believe that he can overpower us like a crouching lion creeping toward his foe. He represents himself to us as the great and raging king of the jungle who by his roar would intimidate all of us so we might become an easy prey. But we must also be aware that he is sneaky, silent, and misrepresenting himself to us as an angel of light. The enemy is worse than any man we can conceive; he is not a common adversary but one that aims at our very souls. He is an accuser and a devourer, malicious in every way.

But, here's the good news. As strong as our enemy appears, as loud as his roar seems, as malicious and seductive as his ways become, he is a defeated foe. He would like for us to be in constant fear of what he can do, or . . . he would like for us to totally ignore him. But we're instructed to be wise, to be watchful, to be aware . . . NOT to live in constant fear.

We have this promise that the victory is ours through Jesus Christ our Lord. "But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (I Corinthians 15:57) We serve an omnipotent Lord, who reigns over ALL! Nothing can ever separate us from His love . . . Hallelujah, what a mighty God we serve.

Omnipotent Father, Lord of all, thank you for your Word . . . thank you for your warning to be sober and to be vigilant when it concerns the wiles of the enemy. Help me to be strong when I feel like I'm being stalked, not allowing him to win confidence knowing that he has succeeded in putting fear into my heart. Amen!

"No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD." (Isaiah 54:17)

© Jan Ross
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