Nena Arias | January 15, 2024
“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”
(1 Peter 5:8)
The Bible teaches us, as the above verse in 1 Peter 5:8 declares, that there is eminent spiritual danger always lurking and if we are not careful it may catch us unaware of how down low the enemy of our soul truly is. The spiritual realm is even more real than the material world we see. But God has given us the tools to be watchful to discern what is coming our way at all times.
In a long conversation I had with a person that is dear to me I learned of the spiritual attacks she was experiencing, it made me think again of how aggressive an enemy we have and how he will use anything and everything he can in his efforts to defeat us, especially when we are a true threat to his kingdom. If he cannot find a fresh and new fault that we may have committed that may have opened a door, he will dig up something in the past that has long been dealt with properly and has long been buried under the blood and forgiveness through Christ and we have modified our behavior, therefore that door has been sealed shut. But if the enemy can’t find something in our present and he is threatened by what we are doing against him at present, he will try to bash that closed door to see if we will fall for his empty threat. He will shove the memory of that past in our face again just to see if we will fall for his bait and empty threats because we have become too much of a threat for him in the spiritual realm. Also, it helps us to know how we will react to this attack. Will we react through our emotions and rehash the hurtful feeling of that experience, or will we remind Satan that is a closed chapter, and he is wasting his time.
This kind of attack usually comes as a result of us making a deeper commitment to draw closer to the Lord and to serve him in a greater offensive capacity. By that I mean that you are being more aggressive to attack the enemy’s camp. The enemy just won’t have it without a fight because we will take territory away from him that he has had a claim to and will not easily give it up. He has to be presented with an authority that he respects and has to obey, which is only the authority of God and those who know how to use it.
We must be watchful and alert. Warfare always requires vigilant watchmen.
A lack of watchfulness is dangerous to our souls — by that I don’t mean receiving a light jab from the enemy. I mean very real aggressive, cut-throat warfare. Satan plays for keeps. The apostle Paul knew the perils we would face while following Christ when he said in 1 Corinthians 16:13 “Be alert, stand firm in the faith, be brave, be strong.” He meant never be complacent.
For better understanding, here are some synonyms of complacent: self-satisfied, contented, self-righteous, unconcerned, proud, smug, content, arrogant, self-congratulatory, self-congratulating, overconfident, selfconfident, confident, assured, self-assured.
Psalm 31:24 says, “Be strong and courageous, all you who hope in the LORD.”
The admonishment to be strong and courageous would not be important or needed if the spiritual battle is a “piece of cake” so to speak. So, it is of utmost importance to pay attention to this warning. Always remember Peter’s warning that paints a very exact picture of how we are always in Satan’s sights for an attack.
“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”
(1 Peter 5:8)