Sunday, February 7, 2021
“Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.” (1st Peter 5:8-9)
This reminds me of a story of my past. I have always been short and not muscular. And in my senior year in high school, there was a brawny individual (he was a line-backer on the football team) who would come up and punch me every time he saw me and it was never a love punch. Even though I did not know him, nor did he know me. So I avoided him as much as I could. One day after taking a shower after the gym class, I was getting some of my clothes from the locker and somebody came behind me and slammed the door closed on my head and I saw stars. Without thinking, I swung around with fist closed and made contact … much to my fear … my fist went into the stomach of my adversary … I had visions of my head rolling across the floor. He looked shocked … turned away and he never hit me again.
We are warned how the Devil walks about like a lion that is on the hunt. The lion looks for the weak, isolated and unguarded. The Devil’s ultimate agenda is to destroy us, not merely to hurt, maim, or discourage, but to devour and destroy us. He does that when he gets us to bow to circumstances, pressure, or forces of his evil design, hoping thereby to make us yield to him.
Our defense is to “believe,” “obey” and to “worship.” Our growth in these areas will bring the same ability to resist or stand against the Devil. We need to put on the full armor of God and to be armed with the Word of God, then we are equipped to receive God’s overcoming victory.
You are Loved, Pastor Don
Cornerstone Worship Center 