“8 Be serious! Be alert! Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. 9 Resist him and be firm in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world.
10 Now the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will personally restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little. 11 The dominion belongs to Him forever. Amen.”
1 Peter 5:8-11
—
There are messages that are repeated throughout Scripture, sometimes identically spoken, sometimes in very close approximation to each other. This theme of standing firm/being courageous/do not be afraid comes up over and over again. Knowing and believing that God, in His grace, reinforces us, upholds us and strengthens us is a source for daily joy and encouragement.
As our culture continues to polarize, dividing morals will no doubt be a source of great struggle, beyond what they already are and our need to stand firm will only increase. Christians in Peter’s day were suffering in many different ways beyond societal pressure. There are, today, Christians dying for their faith, just as they were then. And where a little peer pressure seems to quiet us down quickly, we must remember that it is the very truth of God that we stand for, and not some passing fad.
The devil doesn’t use new tactics, he has not increased in power. He has the same methods, the same strength, and is still far less than the power of God at work in us. If we will be strong and courageous, if we will stand firm, if we will acknowledge that God is our fortress and strength, then we can overcome anything the devil or the world throws our way. So resist him. Stand firm in Christ!
Suffering is nothing new, and should be seen as a badge of honor. We do not seek it out, but we do not shy away from it. Our firm stand honors God and points toward Him. The courage played out in us glorifies Him and exhibits His strength. When we stand for truth, for God-honoring morality, and for the spiritual advancement of our culture, then we are doing just as we have been commanded.
If God has repeated this message from the beginning of Scripture to the end, it must be important, right? Standing firm for Him and His truth is part and parcel of our walk with Christ. It is part of our cross we bear for Him. As we GoLove others, we stand firm, aware of the enemy’s tactics, honoring God with the worship of our vets poured out for Him.