With current and looming problems in full effect around the world, bringing about increasing instability, due to ongoing threats, terrorism, and unrest all around, how are we to deal with this and where are WE to place our trust? Members and associates of the true Church of God are admonished to “be sober, be vigilant,” or, in other words, self-controlled and watchful, “because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).
Being sober and being vigilant both go hand in hand, for if we are not sober or in a clear state of mind, then we can be caught off guard, which could lead us to sin because of temptation. Sobriety and watchfulness are very necessary for our Christian life, and if we are not sober in body and mind, we would not be watchful over ourselves and also over world events in fulfillment of biblical prophecy.
Peter continues on explaining why we are to be sober and vigilant by saying, “…because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” Satan is our enemy, our opponent. The Bible commentary, Barnes’ Notes of the Bible, explains that “Satan opposes man in his best interests. He resists his efforts to do good; his purposes to return to God; his attempts to secure his own salvation. There is no more appropriate appellation that can be given to him than to say that he resists all our efforts to obey God and to secure the salvation of our own souls.”
So then, Satan will do everything in his power to deter us, to throw us off guard, making sure that we will fail. He will use any means possible in ways we probably wouldn’t recognize at first, and that is why we need to be circumspect at ALL times.
We are aware that Satan is the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4; John 12:31), and he is responsible for many terrible disasters to occur, keeping in mind that God allows them to happen. Insofar as the Church is concerned, we may not necessarily fall victim to those who have lost their lives in such extreme and horrific ways, but Satan uses his cunning craftiness to attack us, to strike us where we are weak and where we may struggle, tempting us to sin, trying to make sure that we will not succeed, but only to FAIL.
We CAN succeed and God expects that of us. God provides us with tools and promises if we put our trust in Him. By remaining vigilant, we can protect ourselves by putting on the whole armor of God (compare Ephesians 6:11-18).
We have a bigger challenge ahead of us, compared to the rest of the world, for we have the knowledge and the understanding as to how to defeat Satan, to overcome our trials and to live a righteous godly life, for God has chosen US now to come out of this world, and He has given US, as the firstfruits, the first opportunity to inherit eternal salvation, ahead of all others.
Because we know this, we can also expect to go through trials continuously which God allows, to test our strength and commitment to see whether or not we will overcome until the end and be counted worthy, so we can ultimately be a part of God’s Family (compare Matthew 24:13; Luke 21:36; Revelation 2:26).
Satan is compared to a roaring lion that seeks those whom he wants to devour. Yet in Revelation 12:12, a warning is placed to everyone on this earth, especially God’s elect, when Satan will attack. “…Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.” Satan will strike as a roaring lion, implying his violent and voracious thirst for prey as a hungry beast.
We continue to preach that we are living in the end time and Christ’s return is near, and therefore we must understand how QUICKLY things can materialize. If we are not watchful, but rather ignorant to what is happening around the world, as things continue to progress in light of biblical prophecy, then we will be in the same category of people as Christ explains in Matthew 24:48-51 where “the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of” and we will be caught unaware (also compare Mark 13:32-37).
We have a duty to fulfill. Jesus Christ makes it very clear how vigilant we must be at ALL times, in ANY situation. Our calling to the Truth should not be taken for granted; neither is it a free pass to everlasting life, but it is something we need to work at continually, asking God for more wisdom and strength so that we can overcome Satan’s schemes.