Be Vigilant

In 1 Peter 5:8 the scriptures declares: "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour."

Peter had in mind Christ's earlier warning to watch against Satan, from forgetting which he fell (Luke22:3). He tells us to be sober because he knows that "Over caring" will intoxicate the soul, and take our minds off God - he therefore warns us to be sober.

Soberness also requires us to be "self-aware" so that our freedom from caring does not lead us into a false sense of security. "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." (I Cor 10:12).

We are to be vigilant because the "devil seeks" - and because he seeks, we are to "watch". The devil has been a murderer from the beginning (John 8:44) and continues to counteract the gospel. This is one reason why so many in the world have been caught up in false doctrines, and why so many others no longer believe to the saving of their souls (i.e., they are in the church, but they have not believed enough of the gospel to be saved by it).

The church today has lost much of the power we saw in the days when Jesus walked the earth. When Jesus declared "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father."

Many believers live below the promises given by God. They worship God according to how to how they see Him. For this reason, their lives don't differ much from unbelievers. They pray far less than they should, and when they ask of God, they do not receive answers.

When Jesus declared in Luke 11:9: "And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." He was declaring the power of "mustard seed" faith.

Later - when they questioned Jesus as to why they were unable to perform a particular miracle - "...Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you."

We live in a church age where "unbelief" is profoundly present in the annals of the church. Believers have their own doctors and have forsaken the "Great Physician". There is a pill on the shelf for all their ailments, when the Bible should have stood proudly in their place.

Satan runs rampant through homes and communities and the weakened church is unable to stop him. The people are satisfied with where the church has found itself, and in fact, are content to see more of the world in the church than ever before. Weakening the church further yet.

To be truly saved and overcome the wiles of the devil and the fiery darts of the wicked, we must learn that God has given us profound powers. They come straight from Heaven itself.

In one place the scriptures declare: "To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God." (Ephesians 3:10).

Those given powers are not fully known, believed, preached and lived by most churches today. If they were, many of the battles the church faces would be over well before they even started. And many more believers would be living victorious lives in Jesus Christ.

A prayer for today: "Father, help us to indeed be sober and vigilant as we live our lives before our Savior Jesus Christ, and in the face of all our challenges seek Him more.

Help us to believe and to have faith as that grain of mustard seed so we can indeed move the mountains the enemy places in our path and along the journey of our lives.

And help us to know the powers that have been granted to us by the God whom we serve. Not to grant us earthly riches as some would have us believe.

Father, help us to obey your word as we encounter many that still believe that GAIN IS GODLINESS, in contradiction with 1 Timothy 6:5: "Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself".

Finally, we ask that you continue to prepare our souls and keep us steadfast for the soon return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Thank you Father God.

Amen."