AN IDENTITY WORTH FIGHTING FOR

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  03/06/23

In 1 Peter 5:8-11, God gives us the condition necessary for remaining victorious over Satan and his schemes: Be sober, be vigilant—don’t let Satan deceive you. To heed this command, we must spend time with our Father. Spending time with the Lord and His Word is the only way to equip ourselves in the knowledge of God’s love, Christ’s victory, and our identity in Him.

Do not take lightly Satan’s desire to destroy you. Do not be flippant about your time with the Lord and His Word. The Scriptures are filled with examples of great men and women who failed to see the traps set for them.

The apostle Peter knew personally what it meant to be ambushed by our enemy, and he didn’t want us to make the same mistake. The Lord had told him, “[B]efore the rooster crows, you will disown me three times” (Matthew 26:34), but Peter failed to heed Christ’s warning—and he found himself ambushed

Yet, Peter also knew what it meant to be restored. Have you ever been blindsided by temptation? Take heart! “[T]he God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, . . . will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast” (1 Peter 5:10). The Lord can restore to you what the enemy has stolen.

Satan wants us to be so numb with activity that we have no time for anything else. Therefore, we must resist him and call on the Lord. We must be sober-minded and vigilant.

God, in His grace, is ready to give you the victory—empowering you to overcome Satan’s schemes to devour your faith. And His Word is one of your greatest weapons. Therefore, meditate on what He has done and how He has transformed your identity—and be encouraged. Spiritual warfare may be our reality as long as we live in this world, but Christ has already won the ultimate victory on the cross.

Prayer: Father, forgive me for neglecting to spend time with You and in Your Word. Give me the strength to seek Your face, that I may stand firm against Satan, remembering I am a child of the victorious King. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, . . .” (1 Peter 5:8-9).