“Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.”
— 1 Peter 5:8-9
“Stay alert” means be free from the illusions (influences) of sins. Be always cautious, watchful, and on guard, always alert for Satan’s trickery, deceit, trouble. Be calm about it and know he is out there wanting to tempt God’s children away from Him. Satan walks around you like a lion encircles sheep, looking for the weaknesses of one or more of them. He is waiting to devour you and your testimony about God to discredit you and your faith so others will not believe in Jesus. Satan wants to disconnect your close relationship with God so you live in misery and despair.
The first two commands—stay alert and watch out—could be passive activities, just watch and take care. Or they could include action, like a soldier walking on top of a city’s walls continuing to see if an enemy approaches. In verse eight, Peter meant the latter. Actively stay alert and watch out for Satan. How does a Christian actively stay alert to Satan’s attempts to intrude into his/her life? Keep growing in your relationship with God. Keep listening to and obeying Him.
Peter wrote commanding believers in Christ to stand firm against Satan. What did he mean? Standing firm means resisting and opposing, refuse to be moved from your faith in God—Father, Son, and Spirit. Publicly and conspicuously declare your convictions about Jesus. Don’t let go of those convictions and the faith and salvation God gives you. Be faithful to God remembering He is faithful to you. Remember who He is, what He’s done, and how He’s intervened in your life. How does one remember this in the heat of the battle? By being so closely connected to God that you know Him and cling to Him with your heart, soul, mind, and strength. This close relationship comes by prayer, reading the Bible and studying, and meditating on it. A close relationship with God also comes by worshipping God and fellowshipping with other believers and by listening to preachers and teachers who rightly proclaim the word of God.
Standing firm is active opposition and requires daily preparation in anticipation of Satan’s attacks. Satan will attack, undoubtedly. So prepare yourself by growing stronger in, by, and through the LORD. Remember, you are not the only one Satan will or has attacked. All believers worldwide face his relentless attacks. Jesus did not fall to the temptations Satan put before Him. We each can stand firm as Christians knowing we are not battling on our own. God gives us His wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and strength to endure. His hand never leaves His child; no one can snatch us away from Him. Look to your believing brothers and sisters and recognize they, too, battle Satan. He is not choosing only you to attack.
Use the opportunity of attack to grow closer to God. Use it to grow your faith. Use it to testify to onlookers about God’s love for you and them and the salvation God gives through the death of His Son, Jesus. Spin the attack to be a positive experience and let your life proclaim about Jesus.
Stay alert! Be always watchful! Stand firm! Actively prepare and fight, then your relationship with God will grow stronger and other people will hear about His love and the salvation He offers.
