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Don’t Be Unaware

In this post we’ll finish our walk through the book of 1 Peter. In my last post he exhorted us to resist the devil.

Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

1 Peter 5:9 NIV

We saw that the enemy is out to directly attack your calling in Christ. Peter is probably thinking back to his days with the Lord. Jesus gave him a warning.

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail.”

Luke 22:31-32a NIV

Jesus knew that Satan desired to bring Peter (Simon) down. He wanted to put him in a position where his faith would fail. The enemy wanted an easy kill. In Peter’s case it was the accusation of a slave girl.

James tells us that if we resist the devil, he’ll flee (James 4:7). This should be our first response to the enemy.

According to Peter, it’s because we know something valuable. We know that our brothers and sisters in Christ are undergoing the same kinds of attacks.

That literally means that we know by seeing others going through the same stuff as us. Because of their examples of faith under pressure, we can follow in their footsteps. Along with that, we know where this road of faith is leading.

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.

1 Peter 5:10-11 NIV

Praise the Lord, we serve the God of all grace! He has called us to eternal, unending glory. Yes, there may be a little suffering now. But soon we will be restored and strengthened. He will plant us firmly in our calling.

At one point in his ministry, the Apostle Paul pleaded this the Lord to remove the attacks of the enemy. He got this response from God.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV

The God of all grace was working in and through him. Yes, we have an enemy, but we also have a mission to complete, examples to follow, and a great God at work with us. Don’t become a casualty. Be a mighty, victorious warrior in these last days.

Peter ends his letter with some final greetings.

With the help of Silas, whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it.

She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark. Greet one another with a kiss of love.

Peace to all of you who are in Christ.

1 Peter 5:12-14 NIV

Question: How have you experienced God’s grace in times of trouble?

Resisting the Enemy

30 Jan

As we go through Peter’s first epistle to the church, he’s been teaching us to be “battle ready”. We need to be spiritually awake and sober for the struggles we’ll face. He tells us that the enemy is stalking us like a lion.

Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

1 Peter 5:9 NIV

This word, resist, means to stand against. And not just to stand, but remain stiff, solid, and unmovable. But, how are we to accomplish this?

The apostle qualifies it by saying that this standing is in faith. We are firmly trusting God that His way is the only option. But what exactly does it mean to “resist the devil”?

Unfortunately, many Christians have no idea what this means. They think it’s simply talking about resisting temptation. The fact is that resisting temptation is against your own natural tendencies.

James 1:14 tells us that temptation happens when we’re dragged away by our own desires. There are times that the Scriptures teach us to flee the place of temptation.

Here, Peter is telling us to resist the devil – the accuser. Don’t fall victim to the cartoon where the devil is sitting on your shoulder trying to get you to sin. He’s not going to waste his time trying to accomplish what your flesh is already doing.
The devil is actually out to destroy your calling.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

John 10:10 NIV

He wants to steal. He is attempting to take what’s not his. He wants to steal your children, money, or health.

The enemy also wants to kill. That word specifically means to sacrifice. He doesn’t want to take your life, but to sacrifice you on the altar of the world. He’ll distract you with everything the world has to offer.

His end-goal is to destroy you. That word means to destroy fully and totally. His plan is to absolutely abolish your witness for Christ. To do so, he’ll attack your family, your health, or anything else important to you.

He’s not trying to get you to say a white lie. He’s trying to destroy your God-given mission. Yes, you have mission from the Lord.

That’s why in the Gospels we’re told that his attack on Jesus started with the words, “If you are the Son of God…” The enemy directly comes against your calling.

That’s why we’re told to “stand firm in faith”. You need to be rock solid in what you believe. You’ve heard from God. You know what you’re called to do. Don’t let the enemy undermine it.

Questions: How has the enemy tried to nullify your calling in Christ? How are you resisting him?

Encouraged to Grow

18 Oct

As Paul nears the end of his first letter to the Corinthian church, he gives a series of exhortations. I think that we would do well to live by them.

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love.
1 Corinthians 16:13-14

These five simple statements are the foundation for a growing walk with the Lord. If we would make it a point to see these activated in our lives, we’d be a lot better off.

Be on your guard. This literally means to stay awake. I think that too many Christians are spiritually asleep in this generation. What do I mean by this?

When you’re asleep, you’re unaware of what’s happening around you. Spiritual sleep is the same. There are Christians who are totally unaware of the spiritual aspects of their life.

They think that everything revolves around what they see in the natural. It’s all about satisfying their wants and desires. They never ask, “What’s God’s will for my life?”

I need to seek what God has destined me for. Then, with His strength, I can start heading in that direction. I want my spiritual eyes to be open.

Stand firm in the faith. This simply means that once you know what God’s Word says, you don’t waver or move from believing it.

Believing means taking action. If I believe something is true, then I’ll act on it. If I believe that a chair is strong enough to hold me, then I’ll sit on it. If I believe that God’s my Provider, then I’ll move forward in what He’s called me to do.

Be men of courage. This is the second step of faith. If I believe that something’s true, then I won’t be afraid to let people know that I believe it. I think that all too often, courage is the missing ingredient in many of our lives.

We are a part of a culture that tells us that it’s offensive to believe in Jesus Christ as a Savior. So in order to accommodate them, we keep silent. At the same time, every other belief is allowed to take center stage.

We need to be vocal about what we believe, while at the same time being sensitive to walk in love.

Be strong. This actually means to be strengthened. We shouldn’t be stagnant in our spiritual growth. There are things we can be doing to build ourselves up.

Prayer in the spirit, meditation on the Word, and fasting are just a few ways to become stronger. Just like in the physical, we can’t neglect our spiritual health. If we do, then the consequences could be devastating.

Do everything in love. This is the one that ties everything else together. Our lives should reflect the love of Christ in all that we do.

This is the agape-love. It’s the non-emotional desire to treat others as if you like them, no matter how you actually feel about them. And also, whether you know them or not.

This love is a choice that we make to walk like Jesus did. Our love is what will draw people to the cross. That should be the goal of all that we do.

Question: How well is each of these characteristics visible in your life?

The Spirit and the Word

Tag Archives: standing in faith

Don’t Be Unaware

Resisting the Enemy

Encouraged to Grow

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