Day 332.
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. (1 Peter 5:8, 9 ESV)
Here we find that the devil is our adversary and intends to devour God’s people. How so? He comes at us in very clever ways. He comes as our adversary, ready to remind you of all your guilt in order to keep you from God. He comes with enticing worldly pleasures that tempt us where we are weak. He rationalizes temptations so that they don’t appear as temptations. These are all subtle ways of attack, sneaking up on us when we least expect it. But he also comes head on with the persecution of Christians because of their faith.
We are called to resist him. We do that be believing the gospel. The gospel defends us in the face of the devil’s accusations because we know we stand forgiven. Yes we sin, but our guilt is taken away on the cross of Jesus. The gospel protects us from the allures of the world as it points us to the superior beauty of God and the treasures of heaven. And the gospel equips us to stand firm in the face of suffering because we see Jesus enduring the ultimate suffering and yet rising from the dead.
In what ways have you resisted the devil?
Ask God for humility so that you might lean on the strength of God in the gospel to resist the schemes of the devil.
McCheyne’s reading plan: 1 Ch 24-25, 1 Pe 5, Mi 3, Ps 104
Eliana: I resisted stealing a candy bar from the store that I really wanted and my mom wouldn’t buy for me.
I sometimes come tell mom and dad instead of hitting my brother when he does something mean to me.
I have been praying a lot. I was tempted to listen to a bad song by a friend but I spoke boldly and did not listen.
I changed a game that I was playing because it was bad. I was tempted to hurt my brother but I didn’t.
I am tempted to get back in bed sometimes but today I resisted it.