“Be sober, be vigilante: because your adversary the devil, as a roaring
lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour; whom resist steadfast in
the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your
brethren that are in the world.” (I Peter 5: 8-9)

I believe that it is important to close this series with a few warnings.
So many in our day seem to teach on the end results of Christianity, but
they forget about how they got there. Let me give you a short example.

A young man is full of desires and lust. There seems to be no strength to
stop sinning. He goes to a brother who just counsels him to keep himself
pure with no other explanation. This counsel is powerless, for it has not
pointed the young man to the One who will sustain him. We cannot live by
ideology, for ideology without a firm foundation is merely a fantasy and
its basic source is the imagination of the mind. A living reality from
the Word is what should be set forth. That is why I would like to share
these practical warnings.

When a man comes to know Jesus as his Lord and Savior, he is now going
against the stream of life and the everyday world. Satan will not just
leave him alone. This is why we have the exhortation to be sober and keep
watch. Let us not sleep nor be found in a state of deadness.   D. L.
Moody shared this story in one of his books:

“There is a story of an old Christian slave in the south whose master was
an infidel. One day the master went duck-shooting with his slave, and
turning on him suddenly, he said, ‘How is it, uncle, that the devil never
tempts me, and always worries you? Why should he tempt a Christian more
than an infidel?’ Before the slave could find an answer, a flock of ducks
came within range and the master fired into them. He then directed the
slave to make haste to secure the wounded birds first, and let those that
were dead wait until last. When the slave returned to his master he had
found his answer.  ‘You see, massa, I reckon it is this way about the
devil. He thinks I’m only a poor, wounded soul that he wants to make sure
of first, but you are surely his, and so you can wait.’”

If you think that Satan will not pursue you, then he may already have
you. Scripture does not tell us that Satan will roll over and play dead
when we become saved, and it is often pride that causes us to think so.
On the contrary, Satan will do anything that he can to turn us away from
Jesus. Even those things that we consider good can sometimes become
snares for our feet.

“Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No
man that warreth [or who goes to war] entangleth himself with the affairs
of this life, that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a
soldier.”
                                                                        (II
Timothy 2:3-4)
I believe that these entanglements can come in many forms, and what may
hinder one person may not hinder another. Some examples may be
Television, movies, politics, a career, and even the computer that runs
your business. Anything can be a snare!

When you make a commitment to Jesus Christ, Satan is going to seek to
entangle you. No matter what weapon he may use you will be tried greatly.
These trials, in spite of Satan’s intentions, will have a strengthening
affect in that they will work a work that may never happen when all is
going well. These trials teach us to be patient and to endure hardness as
good soldiers. To look unto Jesus for all that we are and ever shall be.

A man committed his life to Christ a year ago. That next Sunday his job
took him away from fellowship! This had never happened before, since he
always spent Sunday watching football. After a few Sundays of this, he
came to the point of saying “no!” to this snare. He was “okay” until he
committed his life to Christ.

Cast aside the entanglements and think about the choices that you make
each day. Consider the Lord and your relationship with Him before you
move to do something. How will doing this or that affect my relationship?
 How can a relationship grow if we do not make ourselves available? Time
seems to be one of the most precious things in life and yet it is so easy
to waste.

Let us please the One who has chosen us and keep in mind that our
adversary the devil is going about seeking whom he may devour. May we
gain strength from our Lord and with confidence be able to say:

“The Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me
unto His heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen!" 
(II Timothy 4:8)

This concludes this series. I would like to exhort you to study this on
your own, for what is set forth here is only a small crumb. There is
always more when it comes to the Word of God. Pray for revelation by the
Holy Spirit and lean not unto your own understanding. Go to Jesus for
understanding and let the light of His love light your pathway.

M. H. G.
     

E-Mail Matthew H Goins