1 Peter 4:7 - Part II

“The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.”

Last time we talked about how to live like the end is near. I ran out of space to talk about the rest of the verse, so we’ll hit that today.

First, Peter tells us to be clear minded. What does that mean? It means that we should be of sound mind, self-restrained, and sober. In other words, we should be the exact opposite of the vices listed in 1 Peter 4:3. Because the end is near, we should be focused and serious about the tasks God has given us. We tend to forget that we are not guaranteed tomorrow – we could die at anytime. So while Jesus may not return anytime soon, we are going to go see him…

Second, Peter says that we should be self-controlled. Would you describe yourself as self-controlled? How about your parents? Your friends? To live the life of Christ, we must learn to control “self”. If you want to succeed in anything: school, work, getting in shape, or learning a new hobby – you must be disciplined. Discipline is the ability to do what you need to do, whether you want to or not. To follow Christ, we must discipline our minds and bodies to do what Christ calls us to.

Finally, the purpose of being clear minded and self-controlled is so we can pray. Prayer requires discipline. I don’t know about you, but prayer is the one thing that I have to make myself do. I know prayer is good, I know it draws me closer to God, I know it helps the people I’m praying for…I know all of that, yet still I often must force myself to pray. Why is that?

I think other than our fallen nature; the main reason we struggle in prayer is spiritual warfare. The enemy knows how powerful prayer is. He knows that prayer is our direct connection to the God of the universe. He will do anything to keep us from that relationship. He will throw distractions (I’ll pray after I check my email), feelings of futility (I feel like I’m just talking to the ceiling), my old friend procrastination (I’ll do it later), and anything else that keeps us from conversation with God. When you are struggling to find time to pray, realize that you may be under spiritual attack, and respond with…prayer.

So, the first commandment of Peter is: Be clear-minded. Realize that the end is near (the worlds or yours) and act accordingly. The second commandment is like it: be self-controlled so you can pray. Prayer is the best thing you can do for your relationship with God, the best thing you can do for others, and the thing our enemy wants to keep you from doing. Pray, pray, pray!

I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go.” – Abraham Lincoln