BE ON GUARD

"Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour. Take a firm stand against him and be strong in your faith." 1 Peter 5:8-9

Up to now, I have written about finding Christ in your life and then using the gifts the Lord has given to help others find their way to salvation. It sounds easy enough and would be if it weren't for the opposition we're up against, that being sin and the Devil who knows how to destroy us by using our sinful nature against us.

Trust in this...the Devil is only interested in destroying every good and perfect thing God has created. You are first and foremost on his list of things to devour (destroy) because he knows how dangerous you, I, and everyone else who believes and trusts in Jesus are to his power and existence. He is only powerful through sin and darkness. He is rendered powerless in the face of righteousness and light, two of the main qualities of Jesus and those who walk in His way.

So how do you stand firm against the prince of darkness that would seek to disable your intentions to live a life of faith and holiness, dedicated to carrying out the Lord's will, not the will of the world?

Peter exhorts us to be strong in our faith. Draw nearer to the Lord and He will draw nearer to you. You can achieve this through persistent prayer and study of God word. In fact, in the Epistle to the Ephesians, Paul tells us to use the sword to fight the Devil, that sword being the word of God.

Question: How sharp is your sword? Do you even have a sword? For being unarmed in your bout with the Devil does not bode well for your chances of survival. So pick up your sword today, sharpen it, and keep it sharpened. The Lord has much for you to do but you need to be protected from the one who would seek to oppose your ability to obey the commands of Jesus to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28). Through Jesus and the word, victory is assured over the evil one. Be a winner.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you think needs to receive it. I pray it wll be a blessing to them.

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