“Be self-controlled
and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls
around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (9) Resist him, standing firm in the faith,
because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the
same kind of sufferings.”
Do you ever consider that you have an enemy? There is an incredibly smart being with
untold resources at his disposal whose main purpose is to draw you away from
Christ. He is very good at what he does
because he’s been doing it since the formation of the earth. The bible depicts him as a roaring lion
prowling around looking for someone to devour.
That someone could be you…
The threat is very real; which is why Peter calls us to
be self-controlled and alert. We should
be alert to recognize how and when the enemy attacks so we can counter those
attacks with prayer and worship. The
attacks are often so subtle; we have to be on guard to see them for what they
are. We also need to be self-controlled
because our choices either invite attack or discourage attack.
When we are self-controlled and living a Godly life, we
may face attack, but our intimacy with God allows us to give the battle to Him
and stand firm in our faith. When we are
not self-controlled and living a worldly life, we are inviting the devil to
attack us and giving him the ammunition to do it. How we live our lives matters…
In the midst of attack, we often feel like we are the
only one who has gone through this. Have you ever felt like that? “I’m
the only one who is trying to live a Godly life…going through this trial…being
persecuted… etc, etc.” It is a
natural response in the midst of trials. As a matter of fact, that is an attack
from the enemy. He wants you to think
you have been abandoned and on your own – you are an easier target that way.
The prophet Elijah felt that way. Israel had become so disobedient that he felt
like the only person alive who loved God.
He cried out to God and received this answer, “Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel--all whose knees have not
bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him."
(1 Kings 19:18). Elijah felt alone, but there were still 7000
others in God’s camp.
When we are being attacked by the enemy, we can take
comfort knowing that brothers and sisters throughout the world are being
attacked in similar fashion. We don’t
celebrate that they are being persecuted, but we are comforted knowing that we
are not alone. As others rely on the
Lord and are rescued, we are encouraged and strengthened to rely on God as
well. God is with you and so are other
believers. Pray for them as they pray
for you.
In this Thanksgiving season, be thankful that the blood
of Jesus Christ and the power of his resurrection grant us victory over the
enemy. He may attack, but if we are
faithful to stand firm in our faith, we will be victorious through Jesus
Christ. We have a defender who is mighty
in battle. We will overcome because He
has already overcome. Thank you Jesus!
“Now to him who is
able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power
that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in
Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.” – Ephesians 3:20-21
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