Today’s 333 Devotional: “Stopping Satan’s Sneak Attacks”

In the Parable of the Tares, Jesus is talking kingdom of heaven stuff, and how Satan has sown his ringers, his people, within the people of God. And in the story God allows them to remain lest some of God’s people get uprooted in the process of weeding them out.

In the end God knows who they are, and they’ll be thrown into the fires of Hell where there is weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 13:24-30; 36:43).

But what got me thinking is how we’ve allowed Satan to come in and sow into our lives these weeds, which grow up and choke out the good seed of God’s word (Matthew 13:7, 22).

The answer is that we’re asleep. We’ve allowed the cares of this world to lull us asleep. We’ve allowed ourselves to get comfy in our Christianity and haven’t kept our guard up, and thus allowing Satan to sneak in and plant these deadly viruses within.

So, God is calling us to wake up out of our slumber and start smelling the coffee, that is, to start realizing that we’re at war, and our enemy, the devil, doesn’t sleep.

“Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” (Ephesians 5:14)

How do we keep alert? First by meditating on God’s word.

“My eyes are awake through the night watches, that I may meditate on Your word.” (Psalm 119:148)

“Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.” (1 Corinthians 15:34)

Second, it’s realizing time is running out, and we need to be more watchful the closer we get.

“Now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.” (Romans 13:11)

And finally ask God to awake to our need.

“Stir up Yourself, and awake to my vindication, to my cause, my God and my Lord.” (Psalm 35:23)