“Be serious! Be alert! Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. Resist him and be firm in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world.” 1 Peter 5:8-9
There’s a difference between a watch and a warning in storm lingo. A watch means there’s the possibility of a storm. May or may not happen. But a warning is serious. There’s indication a certain type of weather is occurring or is imminent. Preparations for shelter need to be made; otherwise you may be in the path of harm’s way.
As Christians, we’ve been warned. The devil is on the prowl. Not maybe or possibly – he’s loose and out to get us. Peter advocates living in a prepared state constantly. Why? Jesus reminded Peter that Satan desired to sift each of us wheat. Every day we wake up, the enemy of our soul desires to pierce us. Not just a small stab, but all the way through, rendering us powerless and maimed to the point of no use. Thus, the necessity to take precautions is ongoing.
Grasp this – the devil wants us to believe his lies and doubt God’s Truth. To detect counterfeit currency one must know emphatically what is real to begin with. Only then, can what is false be uncovered. Know God. Know His Word. Only then, can we decipher lies from truth. The Psalmist stated he hid God’s Word in his heart so he wouldn’t be destroyed by sin. He knew the best preparation – have what he needed when he needed it. His shelter from imminent danger, and ours, is under the shadow of the Almighty. We have been warned.