Be Vigilant Always

Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 24:1-2, Now it happened, when Saul had returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, “Take note! David is in the Wilderness of En Gedi.” 2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel, and went to seek David and his men on the Rocks of the Wild Goats.

When will our troubles end? When will the attacks cease and the peace we long for finally come to be realized? When will the struggle with sin finally come to its conclusion? Well, the answer to that question is…when we are finally home with Jesus. Until then, we must be vigilant always. 1 Peter 5:8-9 warns and advises, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.” The fact of the matter is that until we go home to be with the Lord, or He comes back, we will always have to be ready to defend ourselves against the devil’s attacks. God has provided us the necessary armor in Christ, as we know from Ephesians 6. I am sure that David felt some relief whenever God delivered him from Saul’s hands; but how exhausting it must have been physically, emotionally, and spiritually, every time David found that Saul was pursuing him once again. Well, for every single one of us who knows Jesus as Lord and Savior, we have a “Saul” who pursues us, and desires our destruction and death. His name is Lucifer and he has an army of devils that look to trip us up every chance they get. Satan’s desire is to draw us, and our worship, away from God, and his and his demons’ attacks to accomplish this are relentless. However, 1 John 4:4 reminds us that He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world. The Apostle Peter tells us to first be sober, or self-controlled. Sometimes our own lack of self control gives way for the attacks that come. We are to be vigilant, or watchful; yet we often allow the world to draw our focus away from the Lord and put it on ourselves and our selfish wants and desires. In spite of Saul’s attempts to capture David, God prevented it from happening, as God had plans for David’s life. Note that just because God had plans for David, and although He always made a way for David’s escape, He did not prevent Saul from pursuing David until Saul’s demise in battle against the Philistines many years later. Although God does not always thwart the devils’ attacks against us, He is always watching and always setting the boundaries. (Job 1 & 2). I want to remind us all that when the enemies launch their attacks, the best place to be is under the protection of the Lord. Verse 3 tells us, “So he came to the sheepfolds by the road, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to attend to his needs. (David and his men were staying in the recesses of the cave.)” When I read this, I could not help but think of Psalm 23:4, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” Some of us have a great desire to serve the Lord, but it seems like we face opposition on every side. The more we try to serve and be faithful, the more attacks that seem to come our way. Our best defense for these attacks, this relentless pursuit, is found in James 4:7-8, “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” David’s greatest protection and greatest source of encouragement in this race for his life was the Lord. So it is, and will continue to be, in our lives until that grand day when we will see the Lord face to face. Until then, let us do all we can to stay focused on, and dedicated to, the One who is our Strength, Shelter, and Protector in those times when the enemy comes ever so close to robbing us of our peace and joy, and tries to destroy our life and relationship with Christ. In the end, we will sing the song that David sang when God delivered him from all his enemies in Psalm 18:1-3, “I will love You, O Lord, my strength. 2 The LORD is my Rock and my Fortress and my Deliverer; my God, my Strength, in whom I will trust; my Shield and the Horn of my salvation, my Stronghold. 3 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies.”

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and