1 Peter 5
Be still: Lord Jesus, as I quiet my heart before you today, I stand firm against anything that tries to draw me away from you. Amen.
Read: 1 Peter 5
Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. So resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brothers and sisters who are in the world. ' (v8-9)
Encounter: It’s probably no surprise that the Christian Walk isn’t a sleepy stroll through a garden. It has always been a watchful walk. Now, I love a good garden – I really do. Give me Kew Gardens on a sunny day, a gentle breeze, and an ice cream in hand, and I’m completely in my element. But even in a place as peaceful as that, there are always areas that are off-limits – roped off sections, signs that say Keep Out or Do Not Enter. You might not see the danger, but those signs exist for a reason.
In the same way, Peter reminds us that in our spiritual walk, we can’t afford to wander aimlessly or assume everything is safe. There’s an enemy prowling around, and so the call is to be alert, to keep watch.
Spiritual alertness matters: the command to ‘be alert and of sober mind’ is a call to intentional awareness. It means being awake to what God is doing – and alert to what the enemy is trying to do, so we’re not caught unawares. The devil doesn’t usually come with flashing lights and obvious lies.
But we are not defenceless. Peter calls us to resist – not in our own strength, but by standing firm in the faith. We stand by staying rooted in God’s Word, in prayer, and in community. And we find strength in knowing we are not alone.
Today, Jesus invites you to wake up – not to fear, but to clarity.
Apply: What are some of the subtle ways the enemy tries to distract, discourage, and isolate you? How are you going to use God’s word, prayer, and community to overcome and resist the enemy’s tactics?
Devote: Holy Spirit, you call me to be alert and of sober mind, and today I choose spiritual awareness. Though the adversary prowls like a roaring lion, I will not fear, for you are the Lion of Judah – victorious, mighty, and near. Father, I pause in this moment to declare:
‘The lion roars,
but the Lamb Reigns.’