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1 Peter 5:8-11
The Apostle Peter gives instruction to be sober and vigilant because the devil is always lurking to attack those who least expect it. Be sober as to be clear headed and alert to the areas of one’s life in which the devil may attack. Be vigilant as one who is always watching to avoid the pitfalls in which the devil may set. The devil will attack us all, and Peter says in verse 9 to resist the devil while standing firmly in our faith in Jesus. In standing strong in Christ Jesus through these trying times, God will use them to help us grow in our relationship with Him as He will, in Peter’s words recorded in verse 10, “perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.” And as God will help us to resist the devil, it is to Him that eternal glory and dominion should be given.
This is a command to resist the devil by standing firmly in Christ Jesus.
This is a promise that through the trying times of resisting the devil through our faith in Christ Jesus, God is growing us in our relationship with Him.
No one is exempt from the attacks of Satan. He will use any means he can find in his attempts to make us fall away from God and our salvation in Christ Jesus. But Jesus has already defeated Satan once for all (Romans 6:10), and the sin that He died for no longer has dominion over us (Romans 6:14) and in so, we should walk in a newness of life (Romans 6:4). We should wear and use the armor of God as Paul describes in Ephesians 6 every day of our lives to stand firmly in Christ Jesus and overcome the wiles of the devil.
Dear LORD,
Please help us to understand that Satan spends all his time trying to find ways to pull us away from You and our salvation in Christ Jesus. Please help us to realize that we cannot overcome Satan on our own, and that Jesus is our only hope as He is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6), and that no one comes to You except through Him. Please help us to trust in Jesus to help us resist the devil and his evil schemes, that we would walk in a newness of life – in Christ. In Jesus name I pray, amen.