Thursday, May 18, 2023

Resist, Stedfast in the Faith!

 


The audio excerpt in this video was taken from Pastor Bob's sermon; in I Peter 5, on Sunday, May 14, 2023.

From 1 Peter 5:8-9 - "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world." 

Be aware, be alert, because Satan, who is the devil is your adversary. "Devil" means "slanderer" and "Satan" means "accuser;" he is also called "adversary." He is adversary to both God and man, slandering and accusing man to God and God to man. 

1 Peter 5:9 tells us to resist him. James 4:7 also tells us how, "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." We can resist him because of Christ who dwells within us. We are strong in Him, and the Word of God abides in us...and that's not all, we have overcome the wicked one (1 John 2:13-14). 

Despite his deceptions, his accusations, his power, his hatred and ferocity, he is already a defeated foe (Hebrews 2:14) by the work, sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Christ. That said, we must "Put on the whole armour of God" (Ephesians 6:11, 14-17) that we can "stand against the wiles of the devil."

The word "wiles" is equivalent to "strategy."  The devil is "the god of this world," the one that "deceiveth the whole world" (2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 12:9).  He can appear as "an angel of light" and yet is as "a roaring lion...seeking whom he may devour".  In our own strength, we are no match for him at all.  We can only stand against him if we are "strong in the Lord" wearing the whole armour of God.  We cannot be "ignorant of his devices" (2 Corinthians 2:11), deception and lies which cause us to doubt God's Word, and then to disobey it.  It is evident that he has been extremely successful with this since the beginning, and through history, through the wholesale rebellion against all of God's commandments, and finally by the rejection of God's great live in the sacrifice of His Son.

Resist him, and be stedfast in the faith!






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