“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”
Two commands in this verse warn the believer of a mortal enemy. The Christian life is like jungle combat. Every Christian is facing spiritual guerrilla warfare. Peter tells us who our enemy is–the Devil.
Be sober
“Sober” literally signifies to abstain from wine. The New Testament uses “sober” metaphorically of spiritual alertness or watchfulness (1 Thessalonians 5:6, 8; 2 Timothy 4:5; 1 Peter 1:13; 4:7). The word “sober” carries the idea of self-control or composed in mind. A drunken person has neither a clear mind nor any control over motor activities. When are Christians most likely to lose control? When we are spiritually out of shape.
Sober people have balance in disposition, thought, and action. They are not flighty or carried away by their or others’ notions. They are mentally self-controlled. These believers understand the situations they will face in life.
PRINCIPLE:
Christians should have poise and self-control in any situation they face.
APPLICATION:
Believers, be wary; Satan is at work. He is always on the prowl. In spiritual warfare, he never goes on leave.
Christians who possess poise have stability for the changing circumstances of life. This stability comes from their ability to apply truth to any situation of life (1 Pe 5:9-10). We cannot have balance or poise if we take the truth into our minds without using it.
The believer should be self-possessed under all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:6; 2 Timothy 4:5). Athletes who seek to be at the top of their game refrain from doing things other people would take for granted. Self-control makes for discipline. As well, Christians are to be dispassionate in adversity. They control their thought processes and thus do not experience the danger of irrational thinking. Nothing perturbs their mind. They do not indulge in excess but use restraint in behavior.
Some college students face a final exam in two hours. Will they allow fear of taking the exam to neutralize their ability to remember what they studied? If they can maintain poise by applying passages that pertain to fear (2 Timothy 1:7), fear will not subvert their studies.
As I read Gods word he is showing me that as long as I am in Him and he is in me Demons / Satan have no power over me. Eph 2:1-5 tells me I use to be controlled by these demons just like those today are that know not Christ. I have been set free from this power Satan and his Demons had over me but today they can not touch me 1 john 5:? this is how I know I am of God as I see those who are non-christian still being told what to do.
I find we all are affected by non christian who are controlled by demon and most of my friends think it's odd I no longer sin like them. I do find myself sometimes wanting too, This is because when I followed those demon x number of years they taught me to enjoy this live that goes against God. I did found pleasure in sin and today these sins remind me of the pleasures I once had fun in. My flesh fights against the spirit and the spirit fights against the flesh and because of Gods Words with in my life God is changing me, I no longer do what I once did. I don't battle Satan or Demons any more but I do battle against non christians and with thoughs desires I found pleasures in before before Christ.
God is at work in each of us change these wrong desires with in us and I find these are my trails today. I have done about 4 years in prison I enjoied hurting people 1979 released 1984 I am married (trail) haha but we have 3 kids. I started a bussiness 1986 bought a house.Two of my kids finished college and my life will never be the same. 35 years living on the bright side
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Dear pastor can you please help me some bible studys.Address.Suresh Madramootoo. P.o.box.1454.Paramaribo Suriname.
Suresh, I have expositions of the Bible for 23 books of the Bible, and am working on the 24th (Hebrews). You have free access to all of them (almost 10,000) pages. All you have to do (if you are using a computer ) is go to the right column: 1) choose a book of the Bible, 2) when the verses pops up, choose the verse you want.
If you are using a smart phone: 1) go to bottom of the page, choose a book of the Bible, 2) choose a verse/s that you want from that book of the Bible.
danny, I must have been out of town when you posted your blog. Thanks for your testimony.
My name Justus from Nigeria, the teaching is very good. Thanks for teaching us.