We were in Bible Study the other day and were focusing on First Peter chapter five and the verse that hit home with me was verse eight: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”
Too often we are going about life and not paying attention to why these challenges are coming against us. These challenges can be temptations and or attacks against us. I have found that whenever we are about to do something for God, the devil hats it and tries to stop it at all costs. Our job is to realize what is going on (be sober), to resist the devil and pursue God and what He has for us to do at all costs.
One friend reminded us at Bible study, the devil goes after those who are already down (overwhelmed, hurt, discouraged, etc.). When we are serving God, we can be under pressure to get it all right, having deadlines, and all the responsibilities that come with this life. When we are all uptight about it, we are already more prone to attacks from the enemy because he uses our struggles for perfection against us. But instead of becoming more discouraged, we should realize what is going on and allow the attacks to vector us to be even more vigilant and diligent to accomplish God’s will in our lives.
We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers. Our battles and the attacks may come through a human, but they were simply used by the enemy to get us off our focus and path toward the task God has given us. I have been experiencing this a lot as we get close to the annual conference we coordinate every year. So this week I was driving into work and literally asked “what in the world is going on?” It was then I realized, there was nothing in the world that could explain it, everything “going on” was an expression of what was going on in the heavenlies.
So the next time you are discouraged and feeling like “what in the world is going on,” remember, it is not in this world, it is a spiritual battle being waged in the heavens because the devil is prowling around seeking whom he can devour. He seeks to stop anything that will bring God glory. With this in mind, I believe it will help us keep our mindset and our focus on what God has called us to do. Resist the fears, lies and discouragements that the devil throws your way today, give them to God as they come (because they are coming), and be vigilant in your pursuit of Christ. The bigger the battle, the greater the victory! Pursue God at all costs.
One response to “Pursue God at All Costs”
Such a good reminder.