Friday, December 21, 2012 - 1 Peter

Friday, December 21, 2012
1 Peter

"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 for ever and ever.
Amen." (1 Peter 5:8-11)

Satan does not play fair. Just as a lion attacks the sick, young, and
straggling animals, Satan will attack you especially when you're
feeling weak, helpless, and alone. Just the other night, I was feeling
weak and disconnected from God. It was at this time that Satan
unleashed a full blown attack – first while I was awake and then in my
sleep. Thankfully, by the grace of God, I was able to resist Satan and
stand firm in the faith. I like the way James put it in yesterday's
reading, "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he
will flee from you." (James 4:7) Right there, we have the solution to
our victory over the devil's schemes. We must submit to God first;
then, with our eyes fixed on Christ, we have the power to resist the
devil to the point where he must flee.

For example, some of us may be harboring a resentment towards someone
that has either hurt us or a loved one. Resentment is just the place
where Satan can get a foothold in our lives. Once Satan has a foothold
on resentment, he will look to grow our bitterness and deceive us into
believing that we don't need to forgive; that what some people do to
us is just unforgivable. This is lie. If we don't submit our
resentment to God and allow room for forgiveness, we will be consumed
by bitterness and inevitably devoured by Satan. Being devoured by
Satan means eternal ruin. But submitting everything wholeheartedly to
God means eternal life.

There is a battle between good and evil and no one on this earth is
exempt from the attacks of the evil one. If Satan was arrogant enough
to attack Jesus, the Son of the Living God, than he'll attack any of
us – but by faith in Christ Jesus, we have already won the war. This
doesn't mean that you won't suffer, for everyone experiences suffering
on the battlefield. Keep in mind however, "after you have suffered a
little while, [God] will himself restore you and make you strong, firm
and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen." (1 Peter
5:10,11)

God Bless,
Anthony