1 Peter 5:8a…. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
In our last devotion we saw the need to be “sober” as we enter into spiritual warfare against Satan and the powers of darkness. Not only are we to be “sober” (fleshly desires under control) but also we are told that we are to be “vigilant”.
The idea of vigilant carries with it several ideas…
1. to wake up; 2. to sit up; 3. to become active; 4. to collect or gather (oneself); 5. to be watchful
As we look at the above listing, we can get a good idea of the basic meaning of vigilant… it has the idea of being alert, aware, and actively engaged in the events taking place around us.
One of Satan’s great desires for God’s people is for them to be asleep, unaware, disengaged and unopposed to his activities in their life. This is why the Lord encourages us to be awake and active in our opposition to his workings in Rom 13:11-14 (KJV)… And that, knowing the time, that now [it is] high time to awake out of sleep: for now [is] our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to [fulfil] the lusts [thereof]. (see also 1 Thess 5:6-8)
Satan in known for working in our lives in increments, slowly, leading us astray, so that we will not even recognizing what he is doing. A great example of that is found in the Garden of Eden. During the temptation we see Satan working slowly and methodically in Gen 3:1-5….
1. Doubt - Satan began questioning what God had said – “Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?”
2. Opposition - Satan then denies God’s Word – “Ye shall not surely die”
3. Blasphemy - Satan finally replaces God’s Words with his own – “For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.”
This is why Satan is described as “more subtil than any other beast of the field” (Gen 3:1). This teaches us he is “crafty”, he uses a sinful type of wisdom to slowly bring about our downfall.
If Satan would have come to Eve and said “God has lied to you accept my words as truth instead”. Eve never would have listened and Satan would have been defeated. But, by systematically, slowly placing doubt and denial of God’s Word in her mind, Satan was able to accomplish what he had set out to do.
This is how Satan works in our lives today in many different areas. Slowly he works to chip away at our faith and gradually lead us form the truth. Satan’s workings begin small but if we allow them to linger in our lives can spread and result in our ruin. Much like leaven spreads in a lump of dough. (Gal 5:7-10, 1 Cor 5:6-8)
This is why we must be ever vigilant as we seek to remain strong and faithful to our Lord… 1Cor 16:13 (KJV) Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.
May the Lord bless us as we “Think On These Things”.
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