Nougat 3

It is said a man was out walking and was confronted by a hungry bear. Frightened, the man asked God, please make this bear Christian. His prayers was answered when he heard the bear declare, ”For what I am about to receive, I am truly thankful. Bless in Jesus name amen.” The bear was Christians; but hungry. It reverted to core behavior. Sometimes we forget that the devil has a default mode, and it’s not even for our good. Check out today’s Holy Nougat

“Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.” ‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭5:8-9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

A prowling lion is dangerous; either marking territory or in attack mode. If it’s hungry and we’re on the menu, it is likely that it will pounce at any moment. And it usually goes for one debilitating bite, then finishes the kill at some later point. That suggests that the enemy of our soul waits to pounce, to catch us in a weak spot, then finish the kill later.

Our warning to watch out also includes the assumption that our first recourse is to armour up. For when we are armoured, there’s little of us exposed to the enemy’s deadly attack. Ephesians 6:10ff guides us on how to prepare. So even if the prowl throws us by misleading the angle of attack, we can withstand.

Interestingly, when we’re encouraged to don our armour, we are assured that the armour equips us to stand. The nougat also says stand (firm) in opposition against the enemy. No, this is not a call for suicide; rather it’s an affirmation that an alert warrior is prayerfully watchful and ready for battle. We don’t pray for the enemy’s salvation; we pray for the tearing down of strongholds, imaginations and any other arsenal that would intimidate us.

We must make time to be still in God’s presence. It is then that we hear what to do. It is also the opportunity to steady our weapons to discern which piece to use and how. Then we can counteract the enemy. Then the enemy will more likely flee or sustain injuries. May victory be ours today, spurring us on to trust God the more even when the enemy is roaring and prowling.

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May all we seek be found in Christ