Be Watchful"

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8 ESV)

My title for today is “be watchful.” You were probably thinking I was talking about Christ, but I am speaking of Satan. It is incredible to me that so many who profess to be Christians do not believe that Satan exists today. This is not a matter of belief, but a reality we must face. I have heard all kinds of things like: He is not for real, he is not on earth, or he lives in hell. Listen, he has probably stood beside you in a store. He may have sat beside you in a restaurant, bus, or train. But he certainly knows what will trip you up. He may have even asked God to test you as he did Job.

This is not a time for complacency, but for vigilance.

Can Satan read our minds? There is nothing in scripture to indicate that Satan is omniscient or that he knows everything. He is not omnipresent, so he cannot be everywhere at once like God. Satan is a networker and relies on a network of demons to bring him information on us.

Folks, let’s be clear: Satan is real, demonic principalities are real, and we are genuinely engaged in a spiritual battle against them. Make no mistake: Satan wants to take you away from God. So, when we pray aloud to God or speak aloud to vanquish his demons, he and they hear us. The closer you get to God, the harder Satan will pull at you. However, Satan does not want to be around our praying because we are communing with God, we are in God's presence, and He hears our prayers. When we meet in fellowship, Satan does not want to be around. Remember Jesus’ words: “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”(Matt 18:20 ESV). Satan does not want to be in the presence of the Lord.

Many times, I have used Christ’s words, “Get behind me, Satan,” and many times, I have told him that I am the Lord’s, not his, when I feel the darkness around me. Satan is truly real, so are his demons, and so is hell. Just as Jesus used passages from Deuteronomy to battle Satan in the wilderness for 40 days, we, too, must use scripture to fight Satan. Walk with Christ daily and know that the enemy is ready to pounce. Reflect Christ to everyone; chances are, for the most part, Satan will leave you alone, but if not, give him a right cross and a good dose of scripture just as our Savior did in the wilderness. Remember, the power of prayer and scripture empowers us to stand against the devil's schemes.

If you do not know Christ as your Savior, you are living in Satan’s domain. He has control over you, whether you believe it or not. But there is hope. Seek Christ, for after you are cleansed by the shed blood of the Lamb of God, given His grace, and profess your faith, you will no longer be dead and walking. Eternal life, a life free from the clutches of Satan, is available to you as a free gift through the Son of God. Seek Him now and find the hope and reassurance of eternal life.

Grace and Peace.