Resist the devil, and he will flee from you

https://odb.org/2025/06/13/standing-firm-in-faith

1 Peter 5:6–11 (NIV): 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of suffering.
10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast. 11 To him be the power forever and ever. Amen.

One of the unavoidable challenges that mankind faces since time immemorial is the enemy, the devil. He was there at the Garden of Eden as the serpent that tempted and tricked Adam and Eve to take a bite out of the forbidden fruit, and as a result, sin entered the world and mankind and Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden. God had to send His only begotten son to the world so that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have life everlasting (John 3:16). With Jesus having defeated sin and death, we who believe in Him and are justified by our faith in Him will one day be resurrected and will live in our glorified bodies (demonstrated by Christ in His resurrection) at Eden recreated at the new heaven and new earth (Revelation 21:1).

However, as much as we face the challenges and rigours of life to preserve our faith in Christ, we also have an adversary in the devil and his cohorts who will attempt to draw us away from God. Jesus mentioned before that the devil came to steal, kill, and destroy while He came that we may have life and have it abundantly (see John 10:10). God’s promises to us is that if we resist the devil, he will flee from us (James 4:7), and we know that greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world! (1 John 4:4). Peter describes the devil as someone who prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. At any given chance, he will trip us and make us compromise our faith. His job is to lead us astray, away from God, away from the narrow path into the broad and wide road that leads to destruction.

Peter advises that we humble ourselves before God, meaning we place our dependence on God and cast all our anxiety on Him because He cares for us. If we look to God, He will help us resist the devil and rise victorious because God loves us. There is no shame to go to Jesus on our knees if we are tempted to give in to the desires of the flesh as the devil tempts and seduces us. Look away from the bright alluring lights of the world and cast our eyes upon our Lord Jesus Christ. He will give us the strength to stand firm in our faith.

As we enter the weekend and take a break from work or school and serve and worship God in church, remember – resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Jesus in us is greater and stronger than any temptation the devourer enemy may throw at us! In all situations, stand firm in the faith! Amen!