Staying alert

The end of all things is near; therefore, be alert and sober-minded for prayer. (4:7)

Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. (5:8)

I can’t help but wonder if Peter was thinking of his own failures when he wrote those words.

Jesus had warned him that Satan wanted to sift him like wheat (Luke 22:31).

Jesus had told him to watch and pray so that he would not fall into temptation (Matthew 26:41).

So what did Peter do? He fell asleep. And when the time of testing came, he failed the test. (Matthew 26:69-75)

So many of us say, “I want to be strong when I go through times of testing, but I don’t know if I can.”

But we cannot be strong if we’re not connected to the Father, if we are not receiving his strength, his leading, and his wisdom every day.

Jesus knew that and so he constantly took time to be with his Father every day.

That’s why when the time of testing came, unlike Peter, Jesus was able to pass the test.

Do you want to be strong when times of testing come? Are you plugged into the Father daily? In prayer? In his Word?

Or are you asleep?