Are You Sleeping?

Be…alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith... 1 Peter 5:8-9 (NIV)

In Matthew 26, Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane where he left Peter, James and John to keep watch while he withdrew to pray. When Jesus returned to his disciples, He found them sleeping. He asked Peter to “Watch and pray so that (he would) not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” (Matthew 26:41, NIV) Again Jesus withdrew to pray and again He returned to find the disciples fast asleep. Upon His third return, as Judas arrived in betrayal, immediately Peter jumped to the defense of Jesus striking the high priest’s servant cutting off his right ear. Jesus rebuked Peter for drawing his sword against God’s plan for salvation asking, “…how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?” (Matthew 26:54, NIV) Later, as Jesus was arrested, all the disciples deserted him and fled. (Matthew 26:56, NIV) Because Peter and the others did not ‘keep watch’, they fell into the temptation to be unfaithful in the face of what appeared to be threatening circumstances. This revealed a vulnerable place for Satan to drive a wedge among the disciples.

First Peter 5:8 tells us that the enemy […] prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Sometimes, like Peter and the disciples, if we are sleeping when we should be keeping watch, we strike back against God’s very own plan because our circumstances seem threatening. As we focus on those threatening circumstances, rather than on God’s plan through them, we reveal a vulnerable place where Satan can strike. Satan wants to drive a wedge among God’s children. If he can divide us, then he is the victor. We must continually keep watch for the enemy, putting on the full armor of God so that (we) can take (our) stand against the devil's schemes (Ephesians 6:11, NIV). First Corinthians 12:25 says, there should be no division in the body. (NIV) As we resist him and stand firm in faith, united as the body of Christ, He will not prevail against us.

Prayer Focus:
Pray that God would reveal to you where you are sleeping…leaving yourself vulnerable to attack. Put on God’s armor, stand firm in faith and resist the devil…he will flee from you.

©2009 by Stephanie French. All rights reserved.