1 Peter 1:8 KJV ‘Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary goes about as a roaring lion, seeking for whom to devour.’
DAILY READING – Luke 13:18-35; Genesis 24; Psalm 17
Israel lost 121 soldiers during the 2006 Second Lebanon War. A section of the border fence where the Hezbollah ambush occurred has 121 flowers painted on it: a flower for every soldier lost. The life of every soldier is very important to Israel, and every loss of a soldier is felt heavily, especially due to the small size of it’s military force. The Israel Defense Forces are widely respected as a cutting-edge military machine, yet the IDF’s main resource, however, is the high caliber of its soldiers. These soldiers are trained to respond rapidly in repelling attacks. The Israeli Defense Force, founded in 1948, ranks among the most battle-tested armed forces in the world, having had to defend Israel in six major wars. Though it has always been outnumbered by its enemies, the IDF maintains a qualitative advantage by deploying advanced weapons systems, many of which are developed and manufactured in Israel for its specific needs. The IDF is equipped with extremely lethal cyberwar capacity, eyes-on-the-world intel, star-wars level missile defense systems, a justly famous air force, and a small but superbly trained cadre of special forces troops. Due the high level of conflict it often experiences, the Israel military has learned to live in a constant state of alertness and readiness.
1 Peter 1: 8 admonishes us to be sober and vigilant, because the enemy is going about as a roaring lion, seeking whom to devour.
We have to always live battle ready, because there is an enemy on the prowl, looking for whom to devour. And Ephesians 6 lets us know that we are in a serious spiritual battle, not with flesh and blood but with principalities and powers and spiritual wickedness in high places. In this ongoing spiritual battle, you will survive based on the level of your spiritual readiness. Jesus severally admonished believers to watch and pray and to live ready.
As a result of this spiritual battle, there is need for us to store up spiritual strength in readiness. The Bible says in Proverbs 24:10 that if you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small. We are to live always prepared for war. We prepare by maintaining a fervent spiritual life, diligently studying the Bible and keeping the fire always burning on our prayer altars. The battles of life are represented by the challenges that often come our ways. The road of life is fraught with these challenges. What will determine our victory is how we react to them. Someone said life is 10% what happens and 90% how you react. We must be equipped through the Word to react in faith. Faith is the victory that will overcome the world. When challenged what you have put into your mind is essentially what flows out. This is why you must be committed in putting the Word of God into your mind daily, so that when squeezed only the Word of God will come out. And the Word is the answer to every challenge or problem of life. Therefore ensure today and always that your heart is constantly filled up with God’s Word. Anytime you are challenged open your mouth and begin to release God’s Word. It is like releasing bullets to spiritually destroy and demolish every opposition against you. Indeed when you are constantly filled with The Word, you will be ready to overcome any challenge that comes your way.
PRAYER: Lord, help me to constantly desire Your Word and store it up in my heart as my weapon of offence and defence against every attack of the enemy. Thank You Lord that through faith in You, my victory in every conflict is assured in Jesus Name
QUOTE:
As a child of God, you have to recognize that you are in the middle of an ongoing battle.