WHO TOLD YOU?

12/20/2023

"Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8 NIV).

I am astonished every time I study the encounter between God and Adam after Adam realized he was naked and sought to hide himself. Initially, God called out to Adam as if unaware of his whereabouts or what had transpired. In Genesis 3:9-11, the Bible recounts, "And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, 'Where art thou?' And he said, 'I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.' And he said, 'Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?'" This passage highlights the importance of refraining from expressing things for which we have not been anointed or commanded. This lesson is especially vital as we approach the end of this year in the next few days. We must be vigilant with our words, choosing our words wisely because Satan is actively working to disrupt and destroy. 

Jesus shared a parable about the kingdom, illustrating it with the words, "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. But that night, as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away. When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew" (Matthew 13:24,25 NLT). 

Observing the timing of the enemy's action is crucial – it occurred when the workers slept. In this context, sleeping signifies relaxing one's hold on the Word. When we do so, we become careless with our speech. An example is when a believer says, "I don't care what the Bible says; I am going to do what I have to do." Mark 4:19 (NIV) describes this as "allowing the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desires for other things to choke the word, making it unfruitful."

Not only do these concerns infiltrate our hearts, but they also find their way into our words. The Apostle Paul vividly portrayed the consequences of letting the Devil in, stating in Ephesians 4:27, "...anger gives a foothold to the devil." Once the Devil gains that foothold, his intent is clear – to sow as many weeds as possible. In this context, weeds represent unbelief, hopelessness, anger, frustration, and more. Therefore, let us not be caught off guard. Stay awake and vigilant! 1 Peter 5:8 (NIV) cautions, "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the Devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." The Message translation beautifully expresses this caution: "Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. (1 Peter 5:8 MSG)"

The Devil seizes opportunities only when we stray from the Word and succumb to negative emotions such as unhealthy anger, frustration, and depression. During these moments, our confessions rebel against the reality of Christ, as we may confess fear, inability, weakness, uncertainty, lack, sickness, hopelessness, and more – all of which contradict the life and nature of God in Christ Jesus. Consider the impact of responding to someone asking, "How are you doing?" with expressions like "I just hate myself" or "My life is over." Ask yourself: Who told you your life is over? Such speech rebels against Christ. Even in challenging times, remember this: YOUR LIFE IS in Christ. The grace of God is more than sufficient for you, and God has not given up on you. Therefore, do not allow anyone, not even the Devil, to push you to the point of confessing death over yourself. 

Resist discouragement even when your circumstances present the perfect setup for discouragement. Stay vigilant and continually declare God's Word, for the words you speak are certain to prevail in your life.

God bless you

Faith-filled confessions:

I refuse to give a foothold to the adversary. I stand my ground on the immovable Word of God. I choose to dwell on the Word. The Word inundates my thoughts and speech. The Word increases in me and prevails over every circumstance; in Jesus' name, Amen.

Prayer Points:

Psalm 122:6, "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May they prosper who love you."

• Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. 

• Pray against plans to use the crises in Israel to launch other attacks in the United States.

• Pray for The President of the United States and all who are in positions of authority in the United States.

• Pray for the Church in the United States and worldwide.

One-Year Reading Plan: Amos 4-6; Revelation 6