Beware: LION
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8)
PSA: accepting Jesus and getting saved is step one of one million, not the only step. I know this might sound obvious, but please know that when your soul gets saved, your flesh will always be at war with the spirit (Galatians 5:17). Every day after you get saved is marked by moments of choosing to walk by the Spirit or by your flesh. As the apostle Peter warns, resist the urge to get so comfortable with the days when choosing Christ is easy that you forget to protect against the enemy. I doubt that Peter’s intent was to invoke fear, but rather caution. More than 2 years into intentionally walking with God and I have had to learn that it only takes one drink, one thought that lingers, one conversation with the wrong person to give the devil an opening.
It is early in the year. Many people start off with a desire to do better in a variety of areas in their lives. From working out to budgeting more, many resolutions are noble in theory, but fail to last because of a failure to be sober and vigilant. If my goal is to lose weight and to be healthier overall, being sober and vigilant looks like monitoring what foods I allow in the house. Maybe I won’t go out every weekend with friends who do not have the same goals as me. It looks like setting personal boundaries and sticking to them despite being alone.
As it is in the natural, so it is also in the spirit. Being sober isn’t confined to alcohol. While that obviously helps, being sober is to be clear-minded and free from distraction and mental impairment. This might include purging your mind and heart of complaining and self-pity. It might be guarding what you watch and listen to. There are so many who will say “it doesn’t take all of that!” The choice is yours. I will ask you this: what lengths would you go to if you saw a lion trying to get into your home? Would you leave a window open? Maybe a door? Would you take your time coming in and out of the safety of the house? If not, consider what precautions you might take to protect your heart, your mind, and your ability to complete purpose from the very real enemy who wants nothing more than to steal, kill, and destroy.
Prayer:
God, I understand that walking with You isn’t always rainbows and blessings. I see that I have a role in resisting the enemy. I thank You that Your word says if I resist the enemy, he will flee! I thank you that ultimately I have the victory in Christ Jesus! Today, I love you more than what appeases my flesh. Thank you for not leaving me as I was! Please help me to stay on guard to protect myself from the attempts of the enemy. In Jesus’ name, amen.
