SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 7/24/2017 10:15 PM
My Worship Time Focus: PT-4 Be Watchful
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: 1Peter 5:8-9
Message of the
verses: “8 Be of sober spirit, be on
the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion,
seeking someone to devour. 9 But
resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of
suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.”
We have been looking at the main point from Dr. Wiersbe’s
commentary on 1 Peter 5:8-9 which is “Be Watchful” and have also been looking
at some different sub-points under this main point. Today we look at the sub-point “Resist him,”
which actually comes from verse nine.
When I see this verse nine it makes me think first of all
how the Lord Jesus resisted the devil when He was tempted by him, and that was
by quoting the Word of God against his temptations. It also makes me think of the need to have the
spiritual armor on which Paul describes to the Ephesians in Ephesians 6:10-18, especially
when Paul talks about prayer in verse eighteen.
Romans 14:13 gives an example of who we are putting on when put on the
spiritual armor: “But put on the Lord
Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.” We are actually putting on Jesus Christ and
these different pieces come straight out of the Word of God, so we have the
Word of God and prayer and this is how we resist the devil.
We also resist him in faith that is faith in God similar
to what happened to David when he fought against Goliath as he trusted in the
name of God because he knew that Goliath was against God’s people.
Dr. Wiersbe writes these very important words: “A word of caution here: never discuss things
with Satan or his associates. Eve made
this mistake, and we all know the sad consequences. Also, never try to fight Satan in your own
way. Resist him the way Jesus did, with
the Word of God (Matt. 4:1-11). Never
get the idea that you are the only one going through these battles, because ‘your
brethren that are in the world’ are facing the same trials. We must pray for one another and encourage
each other in the Lord. And we must
remember that our personal victories will help others, just as their victories
will help us.”
Peter did not follow the things we are learning here the
night Jesus was betrayed. He fell asleep
as he was not alert to resist the devil.
He cut of Malchus’ ear trying to do battle on his own. He did not take the Lord’s warning seriously
when Jesus told him what Satan wanted to do and so he denied the Lord.
Dr. Wiersbe concludes “Before we can stand before Satan,
we must bow before God. Peter resisted
the Lord and ended up submitting to Satan.”
7/24/2017 10:34 PM
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