Watch Out For Attacks

1Peter 5:8-9 -   Be careful—watch out for attacks from Satan, your great enemy. He prowls around like a hungry, roaring lion, looking for some victim to tear apart. Stand firm when he attacks. Trust the Lord; and remember that other Christians all around the world are going through these sufferings too.

Peter takes a moment as he closes his first letter to warn his readers of the sure attacks that satan will bring now that they are a threat to his control of the world.  The more we understand our true calling and use for God…the more satan wants to interrupt our fulfillment of that calling.

His attacks are not always obvious and easy to spot.  Sometimes they are hidden in the things we love….the people we love… and the pleasures that create the most satisfaction to our lives.  Satan sneaks his attacks in ways that make us think we have done good things…until God reveals the dangers and damage our choices made after the fact. 

Peter makes one other great point that I am guilty of forgetting sometimes. Satan’s attacks make you feel so alone and battered.  You feel like you are the only one he is picking on…you just want him to go pick on somebody else for a while…but in reality he already is.  We are never alone in our suffering.  Someone else is going through a fire …somewhere.

I will stretch that thought one more ad say that I believe this suffering is one of the reasons God allows satan to attack us in the first place. We build skills to love deeper….hold on tighter….and endure more so we can help each other survive till Christ’s return.

Father…thank you for the reminder that I need to watch more closely for the attacks of satan so I can call on you to help me fight him off each time.  Forgive me for the times that I allow satan to control the fight for too long…and weaken the faith that you are trying to build in me. Help me to stand firm and trust you during the battle so you can control the outcome.  Amen.