Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour
1 Peter 5:8 KJV
The devil is crafty, working daily in subtle ways to ensure our downfall. He desires that we fall short of God’s standard. His mission is to trip us up on our journey to eternity, aiming to keep us from an intimate knowledge of God the Father. The devil, after losing his powerful position due to pride, is on a relentless mission to prevent believers from understanding who God created them to be. Sobriety is not his strong suit. His goal extends beyond this life, seeking our failure both here on earth and in eternity.
Throughout Scripture, we see the whole truth. God provides us with clear templates on what we need to do daily as believers. If we devote ourselves to reading, studying, and meditating on God’s Word, we will find answers to all the temptations we face. Although the devil does not possess all the answers, he has mastered the skill of craftiness. However, the way to counter his craftiness is through sobriety.
Sobriety allows us to carefully study the schemes of the enemy. We cannot win this battle if we are constantly agitated, moving up and down without focus. Just like we often fail to see danger until we are calm, we must be still to discern the devil’s subtle traps. Our text today advises us to take precautions to avoid being overcome by the enemy, starting with sobriety.
Also, there is a need for vigilance and watchfulness. We must carefully study what the devil is trying to do. From our sobriety and vigilance, we can recognise that the devil is prowling, seeking whom to devour. He wants to devour us. However, God instructs us that we must first calm down to win over the enemy. We cannot win if we are both on the same restless page, going to and fro without purpose.
If we are to win this battle, we must take a cue from God’s approach. We must be sober, watchful, and study carefully before receiving the battle plan from God. Only then can we receive the strategy to overcome the devil. Sobriety and vigilance are God’s templates for us to achieve victory in this spiritual battle.
