BE SOBER AND VIGILANT

By Evangeline Unity Esaaba

1 Peter 5:8

Be sober, be vigilant: because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour.

To be sober means be serious, sensible and solemn, whiles be vigilant means keeping careful watch for possible danger.

If the devil was able to deceive Eve who had a very close relationship with God (God Visited Adam and Eve every evening in the garden of Eden to have fellowship with them Genesis 3:8-13) then we (Christians) have to be very careful.

Like the verse above says, the devil is always finding ways to deceive Christians and the children of God.

How can we be sober and vigilant?

By studying the word

Joshua 1:8

Psalm 119:105

2 Timothy 2:15

By Praying always

Jeremiah 33:3

Ephesians 6:18

1 Thessalonians 5:17

By being aware that the devil is always at work

Job 1:7

1 Thessalonians 5:4-15

BY STUDYING THE WORD

Joshua 1:8

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shall meditate therein day and night, that thou observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and thou shall have good success.

You can be sensible and serious (sober) only when you have studied the word of God well enough to know what is right and wrong. It is only when you study the word of God thoroughly that you can avoid danger (vigilant) because you will learn from characters in the bible of how they were destroyed because they disobeyed God or how they prospered because they obeyed the commands of the Lord.

Psalm 119:105

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Studying the word will show you what to do and what not to do in order to avoid possible danger and help you fulfill your mission here on earth.

2 Timothy 2:15

Study to show thy self-approved unto God, a workman that need not to be ashamed, rightly diving the word of truth.

It is only when you study the word of God carefully that you will know what word to apply in whatever situation you find yourself in, in order to avoid possible dangers.

BY PRAYING ALWAYS

Jeremiah 33:3

Call unto me and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things which thou know not.

When you pray in the time of trouble, God answers and delivers you from possible dangers. He also helps you to be sober when you pray.

“Call on me” is open. It means it does not matter how many times you call. Even if you pray hundred times in a day, He will answer.

The time is also not specified, it could be morning, afternoon, evening, midnight or dawn. It could be anywhere, He will still answer.

Ephesians 6:18

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit; and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.

1 Thessalonians 5:17

Pray without ceasing.

The two verses about direct that we should pray always, consistently, and constantly. Our salvation from danger lies in our ability to pray constantly. Whether we receive answers immediately or after a long time, we should continue to pray till we receive our breakthrough.

BY BEING AWARE THAT THE DEVIL IS ALWAYS AT WORK

Job 1:7

And the Lord said unto Satan, whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord and said, from going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

Satan’s answer indicates that he is always at work, going to and from in the earth and walking up and down.

With this knowledge, we also have to keep studying the word and praying always in order not to fall into any of his traps.

He is always at work scheming and plotting evil that will destroy the children of God and prevent them from fulfilling their destiny as he did to Mother Eve.

1 Thessalonians 5: 14-15

Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort, the feeble-minded, support the weak, be patient towards all men. See that none render evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves and to all men.

We have to learn to help one another to resist the devil. God has made us fully aware that he is always at work; therefore, we should love one another and bear one another’s burden, in order to destroy the works of the evil one.

If only we will study the word, pray always, and use the information and Spiritual power we gain to help one another we can defeat our adversary or enemy- the devil.

References