6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:6–8

Verse 8 reminds me of a quote Christians often say: “I don’t rest because the devil doesn’t rest” or “I don’t take a day off because the devil doesn’t take a day off.” I’ve also heard the rebuttal: “The devil is not my role model.”

Still, I understand the point of the statement. They are saying what verse 8 is saying—to be sober-minded and watchful, because the devil never stops trying to take us down.

The devil is not omnipresent like God—he cannot be everywhere at once. So, how is it that he always seems to be everywhere at once?

When I’m walking through something hard, it feels like the devil jumps on my back, hangs on for dear life, punching and choking me as I try to shake him off! And then there are times when everything seems to be going well, yet I can’t shake the feeling that he’s just around the corner, waiting for the perfect moment to strike again.

Although we know Satan cannot be everywhere at once, he has his ways. He does not work alone—his efforts are tireless, and his demons are many. Make no mistake: the evil that seeks to take us down is no doubt the work of Satan and his minions.

Satan prowls around, ready to disrupt with our lives and the lives of those we love. His only desire is to steal, kill and destroy. While he cannot read our minds, he can see and hear us. He studies us, he learns our behaviors and exploits our propensities.

Spurgeon says, “Do not, therefore, indulge the thought that the main purpose of Satan is to make you miserable. He is pleased with that, but that is not his ultimate end. Sometimes he may even make you happy, for he hath dainty poisons sweet to the taste which he administers to God’s people. If he feels that our destruction can be more readily achieved by sweets than by bitters, he certainly would prefer that which would best affect his end.”

Isn’t that the truth? Sometimes the shiny things that feel so good lead us to dark places. More often than not, Satan has lured me with things that look pleasing to the eye rather than with pain or heartache to destroy me.

We tend to gravitate toward the things that seem good without giving much thought to the consequences or dangers that may follow. I’m not saying all good things are suspicious or bad—God delights in giving us good gifts.

But ask yourself: is this thing that looks good, feels good and seems good something your heavenly Father would give you? Is it something He would be proud of? Is it something you would be proud to show Him? If there is any hesitation in answering “yes,” then maybe it’s time to wake up.

Peter says, “Be sober-minded; be watchful.” In other words: Wake up, Christians! Don’t let the devil fool you! Think before you chase after things that only bring a temporary sense of satisfaction. It may feel like the right in the moment, but what about next week, next month or next year?

You think you’ve got this? You don’t got this. The moment you believe you do is often when the devil will undoubtedly strike—and he is ruthless, always attacking our weakest, most vulnerable places.

For me, that place is my family. I’ve often said, “Come against me all you want, Satan, but you better leave my family alone!” But here’s the thing—the devil knows that. And that is how he comes after me.
Satan’s goal is destruction, and he will use any person, any moment and any situation to make that happen. Disguising those things that look promising—such as success, wealth, promotions, sales or relationships is his specialty.

He whispers, “Hey, look over here,” waving whatever shiny thing will catch our attention, just long enough to trick us into taking our eyes off the true prize—our Provider and Protector, Jesus Christ.

Being sober-minded and watchful is a reminder to God’s children that we are equipped with the knowledge that Jesus Christ is the Victor, and Satan has no power over us when we walk daily with our Lord. When we live for Jesus and put our relationship with Him first, Satan cannot destroy us. We cannot be possessed by Satan if we are already indwelt by the Holy Spirit. The Enemy has no dominion over those who are in Christ Jesus.

When we put that truth into practice day after day, our eyes are opened to the schemes of Satan. Ephesians 6:16 tells us, “In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one.” When we carry that shield of faith, we will not easily fall into his trap.

The Enemy may prowl around like a lion seeking to devour, but Jesus Christ is the Lion of Judah, who never stops fighting for us. We have a Savior who has already won, and we do not need to fear Satan. Though Satan seeks to destroy us, he is still under God’s authority. He may hurt us, but he cannot defeat us. That is God’s promise.

Because of our brokenness, we must constantly be reminded of this truth: Satan is still lurking, seeking to destroy us. But we walk in faith, not fear. We stand firm when he attacks. We stay grounded in the Word of God, for The Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12).

And as it says in Hebrews 4:15–16:

15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Stay in the Word. Go to the Lord daily in prayer. Seek Him first instead of the things of this world. Leave no room for Satan to sneak in.

So, what does that look like?

When I hear “Seek Him first,” I think about my morning routine. Answer these questions for yourself:

• Do you wake up and reach for your phone first or reach to your heavenly Father first?
• Do you seek the approval of man or do you seek the approval of your Lord and Savior?
• Do you walk in every area of your life sober-minded and watchful or only when it doesn’t interfere
with your agenda?

Satan is waiting for you to take your eyes off the prize, because he knows he cannot touch you as long as you are safe in your Father’s arms. Don’t step away from the presence of your Lord and Savior. Stand firm! Be sober-minded and watchful. And when Satan does strike—and he surely will—your unwavering faith, sober-mindedness and closeness to your heavenly Father will soften the blow.

God, hold us close. Help us to remain watchful and sober-minded in all that we do, so we are ready for anything Satan tries to throw at us. Give us wisdom, discernment and the will to do what is right, no matter what. Amen