“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.” – 1 Peter 5:6-9
Our Story is a beautiful one with faith and hope and love…but…there is a bad guy in our story. There is an antagonist…an enemy that brings tension and sometimes chaos into our story. The devil is real and his goal is to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). From the beginning he has tempted the people of God to follow their own way…to distrust their Creator and reject His design. We saw this enemy in the garden of Eden in the form of a serpent who brought down Adam and Eve. In today’s Scripture, Peter describes him as a lion prowling about…hunting an hungering for a soul to devour. This struggle is different than the “testing” we talked about yesterday. James reminded us that we will be “tested” by God in order to strengthen our faith and grow us as the children of God. What Peter is talking about is a different battle that we face. Peter is now saying to us that there are also temptations…traps…spiritual “trip wires” that are only meant to harm us. These do not come from God. They come from a very real enemy…the devil.
No one would know this better than Peter. He loved Jesus and was a devoted follower but constantly struggled with pride and his own personal ambitions. In fact, he is probably best known by his “epic fail” in the courtyard when Jesus was arrested. As he stood by the fire warming himself, he denied even knowing Jesus, three times. The rooster crowed and he remembered what Jesus has said that very night, “before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times” (Mark 14:72).
As we know, Peter found his way back to Jesus and received the forgiveness that restored their relationship. But what do you think Peter thought about every time he heard a rooster crow the rest of his life? Peter must have been reminded on a daily basis that he was vulnerable. He knew there was a gap between what he wanted to be and what he was. He could do nothing more than come to the feet of Jesus and ask for mercy. He knew first hand of this enemy he is referring to. He wanted us to know that no matter how strong you think you are…you could fall. The enemy looks for the weak moments to pounce and devour his prey. Peter’s own pride had blinded him to the enemies advances…”I will not abandon you…I will lay down my life for you!” (Matthew 26:33).
So, he gives us some helpful advice in living out our story. First, humble yourself. Realize that we are all capable of falling and we are all in need of God’s protection and help. Secondly, our worldly concerns and anxieties are often the source of our lack of dependence on God. Instead of bringing these concerns to our heavenly Father, we panic and begin to doubt His love and try to navigate on our own. This leaves us open to the attacks of the enemy and puts us in danger. Therefore, Peter says, take these cares to the Lord because He DOES care for you!
Lastly, he encourages us to be alert and hang on tight to our faith. Solomon said, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart” (Proverbs 3:5) and Paul said,
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:6, 7
The faith that is the theme of our story is also the strength of our story. Yes, we WALK by faith through our journey, but we also WIN by faith over the things that could distract us. Hang tight today. You don’t have to be afraid or worry. Trust in the God who holds you in the palm of His hand.
Because of Jesus, your story is one of victory!