Look To The Sky

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Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. (1Peter 5:8,9)

Never forget, little sheep, that every day we are in the midst of a raging war – the “Quarrel of the Covenant”, the “Controversy of Zion”, and we must be ever watchful.  Satan is on the prowl!  That old serpent, the deceiver, the tempter, the accuser of the brethren seeks the precious life – his obsessive, never ending desire, is to steal the soul of one of Christ’s beloved sheep, and to thereby thwart the will of God.  Of course God’s will cannot be thwarted, and Satan’s efforts will fail, but we are instructed to be sober, and vigilant, lest Satan catch us unawares, and gain an advantage of us, and bring upon us much sorrow – He is constantly walking to and fro in this earth, and employing his legion minions, with an endless array of tactics to terrify the humble servants of God.  It’s all about his roar.

Adam Clarke says:  “Satan tempts us under three forms: First –  The subtle serpent; to beguile our senses, pervert our judgment, and enchant our imagination.  Second – As an angel of light; to deceive us with false views of spiritual things, and presumption on the providence and grace of God.  Third – As a roaring lion; to bear us down, and destroy us by violent opposition, persecution, and death.”

In short, when all else fails, Satan looks to engender a spirit of fear in the heart of God’s elect.  So what then?  Shall we quake in our boots when we hear his roar?  Au contraire!  Look at what our beloved brother Paul wrote to Timothy:

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. (2Timothy 1:7-9)

God has not given us a spirit of fear, a cowardly spirit, to shrink from our duty, and hide in our closets, but rather He has given us a spirit of Power – the power of the Almighty God that we have been mercifully called to serve.  Virtue, fortitude, supernatural Christian courage –  by which our minds are set against reproaches and persecutions for Christ’s sake, and are strengthened to resist Satan’s temptations, and to endure hardness as good soldiers.

And He has given us a spirit of Love – love to God, and to the souls of his people; love so strong as to constrain us to be willing to lay down our lives for Christ, and for his church and people.  This love comes from God alone, and cannot be faked and such who have it seek not for their own, but for the glory of God, the interest of Christ, and the good of the Saints; and having such a spirit, and blazing with such love, they are not easily intimidated by the adversary;

And He has given us a sound mind – Prepared by the scriptures,  – the principles and doctrines of the Gospel; and which shows itself in a prudent conduct and behaviour; in sobriety, moderation, temperance, purity, and honesty; and these who have such dispositions and qualities from God, will not easily give way to the enemies of religion, or decline their duty for fear of them.”

The victory has already been commanded, my friends!

And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. (Romans 16:20)

 John Trapp says:  “Christ our champion hath already won the field, and will shortly set our feet upon the necks of our spiritual enemies. The broken horns of Satan shall be the trumpets of our triumph, and the cornets of our joy.”

I’ll leave you with these words from Peter:

But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.  And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. (1 Peter 4:7)

Look to the sky little sheep – our redemption draweth nigh!

Amen.

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