◄ What Does 1 Peter 5:9 Mean? ►

The devil is a terrible adversary who prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour, discredit, discourage, and disengage from their Christian calling. Satan and his fallen accomplices, are striving all day long and throughout the night to shipwreck the faith of believers - and he takes no holiday from his ignoble pursuits.

Although he is neither omniscient nor omnipotent, the devil continues on, unabated, with his nefarious plan to discredit our Christian testimony and bring dishonour to the name of the Lord - and so we are exhorted to resist him and to withstand his evil approaches.

We are never told to rebuke the devil, as so many seem to imagine. Even the archangel Michael said to Satan: "The Lord rebuke you." However, we can certainly resist his evil advances, for we have been given the spiritual tools to do so. We have been given all we need for life and godliness and we have the spiritual armour of God that is necessary to withstand his evil wiles and stand fast in this evil day.

It is when we are clothed in Christ and covered in His righteousness that we are enabled to resist Satan and stand firm in the Christian faith. However, the believer that is not grounded in the Word of God or who is tossed about by every wind of doctrine, is unstable in all his ways and will not have the godly wisdom necessary to withstand the devil's fury and resist his ungodly approaches.

Our hope is in Christ alone Who is our righteousness, our peace, our hope, and our endurance. The devil cannot accuse us when we are abiding in Christ and covered in the armour of God - for Christ is our salvation and we have the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. In Christ, we have the answer to every accusation of the enemy and the remedy for each of his ungodly temptations, but we are to put on the whole armour of God so that we may be able to stand firm against the devil's strategies.

There may be times when we are being tempted and tried... times when we think that we are unique and that the assaults of the enemy are focused on us alone - but we must never forget that every born-again child of God knows the same experience of suffering - and like them, there is no temptation that will overtake us that is not common to everyman. BUT God is faithful and He will not allow any of us to be tempted beyond what we are able to bear, but He will provide the way of escape so that we will be able to endure it.

As we continue on the journey of life in the strength of Christ, may we resist the devil and stand firm in the faith, knowing that our brethren in other parts of the world are passing through the same sort of difficult experiences - and that both they and us have been promised God's sufficient grace in every situation.

Heavenly Father, help me to resist the devil and stand firm in the faith, through Christ Who is my life. I pray for my brothers and sisters in Christ around the world who are going through the same types of trials and difficulties that I am facing and I thank You that You have given each one of us the sufficient strength to resist the devil in this evil day. May we all be enabled to stand fast on the promises of God our Saviour. In Jesus' name I pray, AMEN.