MEMORY VERSE:1 Peter 5:8
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour
READ: 1 PETER 5:8-10 (KJV)
8. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour;
9. Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
10. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
The topic of today’s devotional is not a piece of advice that can be ignored; rather, it is an express command to be taken seriously if we want to cross the finishing line of our Christian faith.
In Matthew 26:41, during His hour of distress, our Lord said unto His disciples:
“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
A quick lesson here is that temptation is a reality of life. The only way out of it is to watch and pray to ward off the tempter and his agents.
Today’s Bible reading tells us why we must be vigilant and watchful: our adversary, the devil, is busy looking for whom to devour. He is described by the Lord as a thief with a threefold mission: to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10).
In spite of the fact that we have an indomitable Ally in the person of our Lord, He Himself laid down an example for us by watching and praying. We can therefore not do without being watchful and prayerful in our Christian calling.
What are we to watch out for? We need to watch out for the tempter’s tricks, some of which can take the form of the lust of the flesh.
Samson did not watch enough to see the ditch his flesh was leading him into. Even when his parents warned him against the Philistine maidens, he refused to heed their words of reason, choosing instead to follow the leading of his flesh. Judges 14:3 says:
“Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.”
Another thing we must watch out for is the lust of the eyes. The world is full of abominable scenery nowadays. We must be careful of what we look upon and what we see around us.
The fortunate thing is that these horrible images are creeping into the church nowadays – first to the pew and now the altar. Lastly, we must watch out for the pride life.
Pride destroyed the devil and he is introducing it into people’s lives today to destroy them. The church is becoming too flamboyant these days, and this is distracting us from our core assignment.
Please don’t be caught in this trap of the devil. (1 Thessalonians 5:6) says:
“Therefore let us not sleep as do others; but let us watch and be sober.”
Let all your actions guided by sobriety and watchfulness, so that you don’t become a champion of yesterday.
Attending mid-week services are important to keep your YOUR FIRE BURNING. SMALL FELLOWSHIP MEETINGS ALSO HELP YOU STRENGTHEN YOUR spirit man against temptations. Meeting with a prayer partner organizing small Bible study group meetings regularly will also make you sharper spiritually.
PRAYER POINT:
Father, help me to live soberly in this perverse generation, and guide my feet not to be caught in the devil’s traps.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: SONG OF SOLOMON 1-4, MALACHI 2:17-3:15
Prayer Points on Today’s Open Heavens Monday 30th December 2019
1.Thank You, Father, for Your protection, love, mercy and grace, upon my life, from the beginning of this year till now. –
2.Father, in anyway I have fallen short of your glory, please, have mercy and forgive me, in Jesus’ name.
3.Father, help me to live soberly in this perverse generation and guide my feet not to be caught in the devil’s trap, in Jesus’ name.
4.Father, shut the mouth and cripple the legs of every roaring lion, walking about to devour me, in Jesus’ name.
5.Father, quicken my mortal body, and give me the grace to watch and pray, always, that I may not enter into temptation or be caught by the trap of the fowler, in Jesus’ name.
6.I decree that I shall not be a sacrificial lamb upon any satanic altar or a prey for the devil to devour, in the few hours remaining for this year to end, in Jesus’ name.
7.Father, let every plan of Satan, to steal, to kill and to destroy, in my life, family, ministry and destiny, be frustrated, in Jesus’ name.
8.I reject every bait that the devil is dangling before me, to entice and make me fall from grace and lose my position, in Christ, in Jesus’ name.
9.Father, please, shield and deliver me from the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, in Jesus’ name.
10.Father, bless your son, Pastor E.A.Adeboye; scatter, humiliate and silence every opposition from the pit of hell against his life and ministry, in Jesus’ name.
11.Father, bless Your son, that You have been using to prepare these prayer points, beyond measures, and all those who have been rebroadcasting them, in Jesus’ name.
12.Father, let every challenge, hindrance and obstacle of getting these prayer points across to Your children, timely, and on daily basis be removed, in Jesus’ name.
13.Your Personal petitions. (Philippians 4:6)
14.In Jesus name I pray. (John 14:13-14; 15:16)
15.Thank you Father for answered prayers. (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
HYMNAL: HYMN 4 – TAKE MY LIFE, AND LET IT BE
1. Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.
2. Take my hands, and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love;
Take my feet, and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee.
3. Take my voice and let me sing
Always, only, for my King;
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee.
4. Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect, and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose.
5. Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine:
Take my heart, it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne.
6. Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store;
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee.
Prayer Points on Today’s Open Heavens Monday 30th December 2019
1.Thank You, Father, for Your protection, love, mercy and grace, upon my life, from the beginning of this year till now. –
2.Father, in anyway I have fallen short of your glory, please, have mercy and forgive me, in Jesus’ name.
3.Father, help me to live soberly in this perverse generation and guide my feet not to be caught in the devil’s trap, in Jesus’ name.
4.Father, shut the mouth and cripple the legs of every roaring lion, walking about to devour me, in Jesus’ name.
5.Father, quicken my mortal body, and give me the grace to watch and pray, always, that I may not enter into temptation or be caught by the trap of the fowler, in Jesus’ name.
6.I decree that I shall not be a sacrificial lamb upon any satanic altar or a prey for the devil to devour, in the few hours remaining for this year to end, in Jesus’ name.
7.Father, let every plan of Satan, to steal, to kill and to destroy, in my life, family, ministry and destiny, be frustrated, in Jesus’ name.
8.I reject every bait that the devil is dangling before me, to entice and make me fall from grace and lose my position, in Christ, in Jesus’ name.
9.Father, please, shield and deliver me from the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, in Jesus’ name.
10.Father, bless your son, Pastor E.A.Adeboye; scatter, humiliate and silence every opposition from the pit of hell against his life and ministry, in Jesus’ name.
11.Father, bless Your son, that You have been using to prepare these prayer points, beyond measures, and all those who have been rebroadcasting them, in Jesus’ name.
12.Father, let every challenge, hindrance and obstacle of getting these prayer points across to Your children, timely, and on daily basis be removed, in Jesus’ name.
13.Your Personal petitions. (Philippians 4:6)
14.In Jesus name I pray. (John 14:13-14; 15:16)
15.Thank you Father for answered prayers. (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
These prayer points are not written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, but by one of his numerous disciples
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