Ephesians 6:12, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
Peter provides excellent advice as we approach The Day of the Lord. 1 Peter 5:8, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” and 1 Peter 4:7, “But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.”
According to Strong’s sober (G3525) vigilant (G1127) and watch (G3525) reinforce each other and also include be discreet, keep awake.
As a believer I could chose to passively rest in the knowledge that I’m protected from Satan by the covering blood of Jesus. However, as a believer I must be proactive by staying in the Word and daily putting on the “Full armor of God,” including “The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
As a believer I want to be like the five wise virgins of Matthew 23 and have my lamp full of oil so I can greet the bridegroom when he comes. Also, I don’t want to be like the wedding guest in the Kingdom of Heaven parable (Matthew 22) who is not properly dressed to attend the wedding of the king’s son and was cast “into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” I work at being the spotless bride preparing for the wedding feast, nevertheless, I too often fail.
While I labor at being spiritually prepared in the end times, what of the unbelievers? When I stand before the Lord at the Bema judgment seat I want to hear the Lord say "Well done, thou good and faithful servant" and not be the unprofitable servant who is "passed into outer darkness." The first servant had profitably invested the Lord's 10 talents and the unprofitable servant had buried the gold talent for fear of losing it. This parable reminds me that I risk losing friends by being productive with my witness for Jesus Christ. The days before the return of the Lord are growing short and it is past time to be concerned about what friends and family may think.
It’s time to be like Paul in Ephesians 6:1-20, “And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”
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