Your Adversary

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Your Adversary

A thinking soldier  on active duty  has to always be  on the alert.     He wouldn’t be taking care  of his buddies  or himself  if he preferred  to always daydream  and get into mischief,  instead of being  on guard.     It’s the same  for all of us.

Whether we are working  at our jobs,  doing laundry,  going to school,  or whatever,  we need to be  on the alert.     It’s so easy  to be caught off guard  while doing our daily activities.     What do we have to be  on guard for?     We’re only doing routine stuff.

We need  to be on guard  against all temptations.     One might roll his eyes  and say, “Oh, brother!”     But,  it’s true.     We are always being tempted  to lose our tempers,  be unkind,  selfish,  maybe cheat a bit,  lie,  be lazy,  impatient,  immoral,  disobedient,  deceitful,  gossipy,  back-biting,  bitter,  hateful…….     That list could really go  on and on.

And then,  the reply could be, “Who cares?!!!     It’s my life.”     We should be the one  to care  about ourselves  and the friends we hang around with.     After all,  we are the ones  who will have to answer  to God  on Judgment Day  for all  of our behaviors,  attitudes,  and influence we’ve had  on others.     And, we are the ones  who influence our friends’ behaviors,  getting them ready  for their personal Judgment Day.

Constantly caving in  to all of those temptations  does not reveal a life  of faith  and love.     Living a life of faith,  hope  and love  should be our goal  because that is how God will be looking  at our lives  in the end.     Are we getting ready?     We have no clue  when our Judgment Day will come  or what sorts  of temptations  will come our way today.

Peter says this  to us  in 1 Peter 5:8-10,

Be of sober spirit,  be on the alert.     Your adversary,  the devil,  prowls about  like a roaring lion,  seeking someone  to devour.     But resist him,  firm in your faith,  knowing  that the same experiences  of suffering  are being accomplished  by your brethren  who are  in the world.

And after you have suffered  for a little,  the God of all grace,  who called you  to His eternal glory  in Christ,  will Himself  perfect,  confirm,  strengthen  and establish you.

Peter wants us  to pay attention  to a number  of points.

• We have to be serious  and on the alert  about the things  that tempt us.
• Plain and simple — the devil is our adversary,  a real enemy  who is constantly looking  to destroy us eternally.     We need  to get real  about that.
• Since the devil is stronger  than we are,  we are not to “fight” him,  but we absolutely must resist him  by putting our faith  in Jesus.     When we turn  to Jesus,  we will be strengthened  to resist temptation.
• We are not alone  in the temptations  we face every day.     Other Christians  are suffering the same temptations  and winning  as they keep turning  to Christ.     We can expect  to suffer  and to win  by not caving in  to the temptation,  and also by letting Jesus strengthen us  in doing what is right  in God’s eyes.
• The best part is  that in the end — after we have suffered  for a bit — God will tenderly care  for our spirit.     He will perfect,  confirm,  strengthen,  and establish  every child of His,  who has resisted  the devil’s temptations.      What blessings are ours  when we resist temptations.     It will be more than worth it  in the end.

As we are willing  to let God help us,  He will help us.

Let us rejoice  as we look  to our Lord  for our victory  in every temptation.     As we rest  in the peace  that only Christ Jesus can give,  we say,  “Hallelujah!     Lord,  thank You  ever so much  for helping us  get through this.     All glory is  to Your name.”

Love,
Margaret

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A Christian devotional to glorify the LORD of lords and God of gods

 

Pray for our country.

 

This is the day which the LORD has made;
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24

 

The word of the LORD is tried;
He is a shield  to all  who take refuge  in Him.
Psalm 18:30

 

Sing for joy in the LORD,  O you righteous ones;
Praise is becoming  to the upright.
Psalm 33:1

 

How blessed are those  who dwell in Thy house!
They are ever praising Thee.
Psalm 84:4

 

Just as a father has compassion  on his children,
So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.
Psalm 103:13

 

Oh give thanks to the LORD,  for He is good;
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Psalm 107:1

 

Glory in His holy name;
Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad.
Psalm 105:3

 

Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that
I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12

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