WATCH and PRAY

If you want to avoid a counterfeit, you should study the real thing. The same goes for the Word of God, which educates on the real and the counterfeit so that when the counterfeit shows up, they are already exposed. This week, our Devotional Team addresses the topic, “Satan’s Desire to Devour the Ministry” and will address just how intentional we must be in our pursuit of our relationship with Christ and the Word of God! This is another “must have” scripture!

There are times in our lives when we could have prevented some adversity or troubling circumstances just by being vigilant or alert. At other times, situations have unfolded no matter how vigilant or inattentive we may have been. They were, simply put, unforeseeable; that’s just life, right? Today’s Scripture verse, though, reminds us of the significance of remaining vigilant at all times.

Watchfulness is required from a spiritual as well as a physical standpoint. Laxity or heedlessness only gets us into trouble. Am I encouraging fear and ongoing paranoia, given the heightened perilousness of the times as foretold in 1 Timothy 4:1 and 2 Timothy 3:1? Certainly not! Nevertheless, let’s refocus on what our Lord tells us about our need for vigilance.

He instructs us in Matthew 26:41 to “watch as well as pray, lest we succumb to temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” We should praise the Shepherd of our souls for godly spiritual leaders who, like the apostle Paul, diligently teach and expound upon the entire counsel of God, rather than perverting or altering the same to suit some culturally-driven or political agenda. For all who’ve been paying attention, there are definitely “savage wolves” in our midst who in effect prey upon earnest seekers of the way [Acts 20:29], luring them into their congregations “by any means possible,” even denying or mangling God’s truth as it is clearly presented in His word! Lest we compromise or ruin our own witness, we must take heed to our own walk in keeping with the Spirit’s warning to “Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith….be strong” [1 Corinthians 16:13].

Clearly the call to alertness is an exceedingly worthy one. We remain victorious in Christ Jesus, nonetheless, for our greatest enemy has already been sentenced! Satan is ratcheting up his nefarious activities by every means that he can because his days are numbered. Therefore, we need not cower in fear, for we KNOW the end of the Book! Praise be to our God, who has made us more than conquerors!

PRAYER: Dear Father, in these last days, as we draw nearer to the time when the last soul has been converted, please stir up the hearts of Your kingdom people and earnest seekers alike to emulate the Bereans of Acts 17:11, who daily searched Your Holy Word to see “whether those things were so.” Thank You, Father, in Jesus’ name—amen.
By Sis. Denise Diggs

SCRIPTURE: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” 1 Peter 5:8