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"Be sober, be watchful: your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking
whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8 ASV). Peter informs us that our worst enemy, the devil,
is always looking for someone to devour. Are we making his job easier? The Bible teaches us
that the devil uses our own weaknesses against us. James stated, "But each man is tempted,
when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed" (James 1:14 ASV). The devil uses our
lust to bring temptation, and this causes us to sin against God.
James states, "Then the lust, when it hath conceived, beareth sin: and the sin, when it is fullgrown, bringeth forth death" (Jas. 1:15 ASV). Once we give in to lust, we sin. Sin brings spiritual death, "For the wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23). When we give in to our own weaknesses, the devil devours us. What can we do about this problem? Peter answers, "Whom withstand steadfast in your faith, knowing that the same sufferings are accomplished in your brethren who are in the world" (1 Peter 5:9 ASV). We have a responsibility in defeating the adversary by leaning upon our faith. Faith, when used as a weapon against the devil, will help us to withstand his tempting ways and keep us from his clutches. James says, "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7). When we submit our lives to the will of God and resist the devil, he will leave us alone! The devil flees from us when we are responsible enough to have the courage to resist him and submit to God's will. Where does this faith come from? Paul said, "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17). I can develop the faith to defeat the adversary by hearing the word of God and being responsible to it. Peter said, "According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue" (2 Peter 1:3). God has given us "all things" for defeating the devil, and it is found "through the knowledge" of God found in the Bible. When we come to know God by studying the faith found in the Bible, we can be good soldiers against the devil. The Bible clearly teaches that in order to defeat the adversary, we must do our part. We must submit to God, accept his saving Gospel, resist the devil, and use our faith as a weapon against him. Paul said, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek" (Romans 1:16). The power of our salvation is the Gospel of Christ that teaches us how to defeat the adversary by living faithful lives until death. |