“FIRM IN YOUR FAITH!”

 1 Peter 5:6-11 (ESV)

“[6] Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of GOD so that at the proper time HE may exalt you, [7] casting all your anxieties on HIM, because HE cares for you. [8] Be sober-minded; be watchful. YOUR ADVERSARY THE DEVIL prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. [9] RESIST him, “FIRM IN YOUR FAITH”, knowing that the same kinds of “suffering” are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. [10] And after you have suffered a little while, the GOD of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in CHRIST, will HIMSELF restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. [11] To HIM be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

A recent “prayer” was posted on a social media site. The words were good, but their focus was on the desired results, not on the being the prayer was offered to. The power of a prayer doesn’t need to be confused with the POWER to WHOM the prayer is offered??? Understanding, accepting, and realizing that we humans are subjective to our CREATOR is the beginning of SPIRITUAL GROWTH that is evidenced by our ever increasing FAITH in THE ONE TRUE JEHOVAH!  

Our level of SPIRITUAL GROWTH won’t ever be what it needs to be until we are GLORIFIED, until “the enemy” is cast into the lake of fire for eternity! Although we are BLESSED with HIS PRESENCE in our lives, sometimes we don’t SEE TRUTH because “the enemy” disguises himself to give the false impression that he has ANSWERS, when his lies are the only thing he has to offer!  

RECOGNIZING and IDENTIFYING “the enemy” is probably one of the most under appreciated elements of being a Believer. We think we will know “the enemy”, but Genesis 3:1 says he is more “subtle, skilled in deceit” (Amplified Bible) than any living creature of the field which the LORD GOD had made! That mandates that we TRUST IN THE LORD that HE will “lead and guide” us away from the path of evil and into HIS MARVELOUS LGHT (1 Peter 2:9)!  

We have not arrived as Believers! Until we get to HEAVEN we WILL HAVE “the enemy” as a constant cancer to our relationship with JESUS. When THE ONE WHO we pray to is TRUSTED because HE IS THE CREATOR OF EVERYTHING, and our very breath is given to us by HIM, we are just beginning to SEE WHO our FAITH is in, becoming “FIRM IN YOUR FAITH”!!!