November 25
Daniel 9-10
Psalms 131
Proverbs 28:10-11
I Peter 5
Firm
“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 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 forever and ever. Amen.” I Peter 5:6-11
This passage has gotten me through many difficult days. I have it in my scripture ring so I can read it whenever I need encouragement to keep going. It reminds me who my enemy is. My enemy is the devil. My difficult boss, rude neighbor, inconsiderate family member, or selfish coworker is not my enemy. It may feel like they are my enemy sometimes, but I have to remind myself that they are just like me trying to do the best they can to get by. Sometimes I am rude and inconsiderate and selfish, too. Sometimes I let the devil win and I give in to my own sinful desires and I don’t think about how it will affect others. I don’t know what they have dealt with in their lives today or how the devil has been prowling around trying to devour them. Remembering who my enemy is gives me a better perspective. Instead of reacting in anger or hurt, I can examine the situation and respond in love and patience. The devil wants us to react. That is his goal. He wants to cause hurt and division and pain. He thrives on that. If we allow the Holy Spirit to help us use self-control, we can extinguish the fire instead of fanning the flames. We must be alert and attentive if we want to recognize his tricks and resist him.
One of his most powerful tricks is to convince us that we are all alone and no one else has ever faced the suffering that we are facing. He wants us to feel weak and inadequate. That is why it is so important that we are a part of a body of believers. We are stronger together. We are a family, and we must stick together to resist him. The devil has been around a long time. He is smarter than we are. He knows our weaknesses better than we know ourselves. He will lie, cheat, or do anything else it takes to defeat me, but he has no power over the One who lives in my heart. The Holy Spirit can resist any arrow he throws at me. Thankfully, I am not a soldier fighting on my own. I am part of an army of believers. Throughout the world, from every tribe and nation, every race and ethnic group followers of Christ stand arm in arm, linked together by the power of the Holy Spirit. We have a bond with people we have never met and will never know this side of heaven. We can encourage and support each other through difficult times with a power that we cannot fully understand or explain. Our prayers and words of encouragement can be the thing that keeps them going one more day. And Peter assures us that after we have suffered a little while, Christ Himself will restore us and make us strong, firm, and steadfast. Our suffering will not go on forever. We can make it to the other side.
Comments