Saturday 28 April, 2018

8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 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. 10 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. 11 To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen. 12 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. 13 She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark. 14 Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ.

The enemy’s actions are described earlier in the gospels, as like a wolf in sheep’s clothing, hidden, deceitful, blending in, almost stealth like. In today’s passage, the enemy is described as a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. A roaring lion is hardly hidden, or stealthy prowling around, but is rather more obvious and easily seen, and heard.

But still the warning is to be self controlled, to be alert, to resist him, and to stand firm. For without these actions, the roaring lion might be a wolf in sheep’s clothing! We all therefore have a self responsibility to act on these virtues, which mainly come about by regular prayer and being fed by the Word.

It is important to note that in this passage, there are two points that show that we will surely face times of hardships. The phrase “resist him” indicates that we will face the enemy at times, and then “after you have suffered a little while” also demonstrates that the battle will occur and will not be easy.

But the wonderful exhortation is that the “God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, …..  will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. “ (NIV)

This is the promise we can take into any situation. And so friends, let us be, and encourage each other to be, self controlled, alert, to resist him, and to stand firm.

Father help us all, in Jesus’ Name. Amen

Written by Steve Fell