Guard your mind. Pray over your mind. Bring your thoughts under the authority of God's Word.
“Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. ”
1 Thessalonians 5:6 (NKJV)
Welcome to Day 12 of 40 days of Prayer and Fasting. Throughout the week, we’ve focused on prophetic leadership, and yesterday, we talked about sensitivity in the spirit. You’ve learned that God is willing and able to lead you, and you can train your spirit to be so sensitive to His leadings. You can know and understand the exact will of God for you per time. And this is so crucial in the season that we’re in.
We’re still on the topic of being discerning and sensitive, and today, we would be discussing something as critical: Spiritual Warfare. It is real, there is an adversary, and the Bible says that he is actively looking for whom he may devour.
1 Peter 5:8
New King James Version
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
There is a devil and he hates you, the believer. This is not to put fear in your heart but to cause you to be sober. Even in this season of consecration, be sober. You see, the devil's greatest weapon is ignorance. If you don't know that there is an enemy, you won't recognize an attack. If you don't understand his devices, you may cooperate with something that is working against you.
That’s why the apostle Paul says:
2 Corinthians 2:11
New King James Version
11 Lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.
That's why knowledge matters. Let’s try something quickly: Close your eyes and imagine yourself walking out of your room, walking out of your house, and getting on a bus. Imagine paying the bus driver 500 Naira or $5, getting off at your bus stop, and walking 3 minutes to your office. Now imagine seeing some of your colleagues and waving at them before sitting at your desk to work. Open your eyes now.
Were those your thoughts? Were those your original thoughts, or did they become your thoughts once you read this devotional? The fact that you saw the images vividly in your head does not make them your thoughts. This goes to show you that the same way God can whisper things in your ears, and you see pictures of what God is doing, and you know that God is speaking to you, is the same way the devil can also whisper thoughts into your ears. The devil can also suggest things and put ideas in your mind. This is why you must guard your mind. This is why you must be sober and vigilant.
The devil is actively fighting. It’s not every thought that enters your mind that deserves to be pondered on. It's not every feeling that you must act on. Guard your mind. Pray over your mind. Bring your thoughts under the authority of God's Word. This is why your prayer life cannot be casual, especially in this season. Don’t think that because you’re in a wilderness season, you are not on the devil’s radar. Scripture is replete with instructions on being watchful.
1 Peter 1:13
New King James Version
13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ
1 Peter 4:7
New King James Version
7 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.
Be watchful! Be vigilant! Be sober!
1 Peter 5:8-9
New King James Version
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
What many people don’t understand is that this scripture does not say resist him steadfastly as though the object or the focus is the devil. It says, resist him, steadfast in the faith. Meaning, by being steadfast in the faith, you resist the devil. The focus is on you and your prayer life. One of your most potent weapons against the devil is your devotion. It is your prayer life, your steadfastness, your consistency in the word of God, your devotion to God.
Understand that by your steadfastness in the faith, by your fervency in prayer, you become too hot for the devil to touch. By your steadfastness, there are certain things that you will be able to discern a mile away; you will be able to discern the voice of the Lord and the voice of the devil. By your steadfastness, there are certain issues you don’t even need to deal with, it is already dealt with. Just because you pray frequently and fervently.
So in this season, ensure that you are constantly praying. Ensure that you are steadfast in the faith. Set the structures, choose a specific time and place to pray, set alarms, and be accountable. Do all you can to feed your spirit at every point in your day.
Prayer
Father, in this season and beyond, I am sober-minded; I am vigilant; I am watchful in prayer. I will no longer live carelessly; I am steadfast and fervent in prayer always.
