BE: Be Sober, Be Vigilant
1 Peter 5:8-9 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
1 Peter 5:8-9 TLB “Be careful—watch out for attacks from Satan, your great enemy. He prowls around like a hungry, roaring lion, looking for some victim to tear apart.
Stand firm when he attacks. Trust the Lord; and remember that other Christians all around the world are going through these sufferings too.”
One of Strong’s definitions in the Greek for sober is to “be calm and collected in spirit, temperate.” To be calm or temperate is to have self-control.
One of Strong’s definitions in the Greek for vigilant is to “watch, to give strict attention to, be cautious, active.”
If you are going to be vigilant, you must be watchful, attentive, alert, observant and wide awake.
THIS WORLD IS ALSEEP!
Romans 13:11-14 NLT “This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living.
Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.”
God is saying because we have an enemy that out is out to destroy us. If we put these two words together, being sober and being vigilant:
- FIRST – We must be calm and in control. The enemy wants you out of control. He wants you to worry. He wants you to have anxiety. He wants you sleepless. He wants your mind to be confused. God is NOT the author of confusion.
- SECOND – We must be attentive and alert to our surroundings! The enemy is out, and he is hungry to tear you apart! You and I must be aware if his cunning ways.
An example of this is found in the story of the days of Noah. The word used for “watch” is the same Greek word used for vigilant.
Matthew 24:37-44 (my addition in parenthesis), “But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Watch therefore (be vigilant): for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched (been vigilant), and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.”
Another example is found in the story of Jesus praying in the garden. The word used for “watch” is again the same Greek word for vigilant.
Matthew 26:38-41 “Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me (be vigilant with me). And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch (be vigilant) with me one hour? Watch (be vigilant) and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
In a world that is intoxicated with busyness and focused on less of God and more on temporal things.
I want to caution you today, BE SOBER, BE VIGILANT.
In a world that is not paying attention to the end times that we are living in, you and I have to BE SOBER. We must BE VIGILANT. We have to be aware of the agenda that is out there for our lives. We can’t just breeze through life, distracted, chasing the next dollar or shiny thing.
Time is ticking. God is coming back. We have an enemy that is fighting for our souls. It’s more important today than ever before to BE SOBER. BE VIGILANT.
