Scripture to Read: 1 Peter 5:8–9
Today, in 1 Peter 5:8–9, God reminds us of the spiritual battle we are in each day and how cunning our enemy is in his war against us. God tells us to be of "sober spirit," which means putting into practice the discipline God has given to each of us through His Holy Spirit who lives in us (2 Timothy 1:7; 2 Peter 1:5–7). God has given us His Holy Spirit because God knows that we will be absolutely defeated in the battle against the enemy without His Spirit living in us! But since we have His Spirit, God expects us to apply the self-control we have in us because of Him. Our enemy is cunning and deceiving, so we must be prepared. He prowls like a roaring lion looking for anyone to devour. Therefore, God tells us to resist the enemy and to be firm in our faith. Our faith is the key to overcoming every scheme the devil plots against us. We must cling to God, trust in God, and rely on God. God even tells us that our faith is the key to our victory (1 John 5:4). As God has shown us in 1 Peter, suffering for our faith is part of what it means to live out the Christian life. God also mentions that we're not the only ones going through these battles. Every believer is facing these battles daily. Since we know we are not alone in the battle, we must pray for each other, hold each other accountable, and come together as believers for the encouragement and accountability we all need.
Challenge & Application
1. How are you choosing to be sober-minded and watchful against the devil’s schemes?
2. Why does knowing that our brothers and sisters in Christ suffer encourage our faith when we are going through trials?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!