LUKE 22: 46. KJV
And said unto them why sleep ye, rise ye and pray lest you enter into temptation.
DAILY READING – Matthew 27:32-66; Deuteronomy 7-8; Job 7
A soldier’s life during battle is that of constant alertness. Not knowing when or how the enemy would strike, he remains alert and watchful. And because the human body is limited in its capability, the military resort to drugs to help stretch the alertness of their troops,
During the Second World War, US soldiers and aviators were given benzedrine, an amphetamine drug, to increase their alertness during long periods on duty. The air force pilots also were able to use the drug to remain awake during combat flights. British troops used 72 million amphetamine tablets in the second world war, and the RAF used so many that it was said, that “Methedrine won the Battle of Britain”. American bomber pilots use amphetamines (“go pills”) to stay awake during long missions.
The amount of these drugs consumed gives you an idea of the importance soldiers attached to alertness
Severally Jesus told us as believers to watch and pray. But unlike the soldiers we don’t need drugs for alertness. The Holy Ghost is the power that will keep us watching and praying.
These are the days of spiritual preparation. Living in the world at such a time as this it is easy to get caught up in the affairs of life. But Paul warns us that no man that is at war entangles himself with the affairs of this life. And even though we are in the world we are not of the world. Therefore there is a serious call for every Christian to live a life of spiritual alertness and readiness. For no man knows the day or the hour. The apostles in their own time always lived expectant of the Lord’s coming. And so should we at this time. We should not get carried away by the things around us because most of them are passing away. 2 Peter 3:10 says ‘But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.’
Do you know that life on the earth in this is at the most precarious in history? The possibility of nuclear warfare is at its highest. In fact it has been said that this is the first generation with the capability to destroy the earth, because the enormous amount of nuclear weapons now in the world.
This is therefore the time to wake up from every spiritual slumber and stay alert. In this end-time, the enemy is unleashing the greatest distractions to shift the focus of believers, because he knows the time is short. There is an enemy on the prowl, looking for whom to devour. . This is why we must be spiritually alert at this time and not allow ourselves to be carried away by the things of this world. We must keep our eyes on things that are above and not be entangled again in the yoke of bondage. In all we do we must keep our focus on heaven. While we live meaningful lives on earth, let men also know that we are heaven bound. Let our lifestyle reflect it. In Ephesians 4:1 Paul says ‘I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;’
We must be alert to maintain a heavenly lifestyle. It may not be easy to live differently while still in the world, but by the help of The Spirit we can.
Let our life reflect where we are going. Let men look at us and know that there is something different about us. Let the joy and peace emanating from us be a magnet to their troubled souls. Let them come to us wanting to have what we have. It is the shinning of light that draws moths out of the darkness. Let the light of Heaven shine through us to draw men to God
PRAYER: Lord, please give the grace to live ready and not to be entangled again in the affairs of this world, give me the grace to live holy and separated unto You … .
QUOTE
God is preparing you for the season He prepared for your breakthrough WORDBITE 222.
[ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK FAITH CLASSICS]