Devotional Reading - February 11, 2026

 

2/11/26

Good morning, Friends, 

1 Peter 5:8–9 [8] Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. [9] 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.

Peter is not speaking to comfortable people. He’s writing to believers who are pressured, misunderstood, and suffering for their faith. And he doesn’t sugarcoat it at all. He straight up says: you have an enemy. The devil is not a myth, not a figure of speech or symbol for bad vibes, or  “negative energy.” He is an adversary, an opponent; he's intentional and strategic. Satan is actively against you. And when Peter says he “prowls around like a roaring lion,” he’s painting a picture of danger. Lions don’t roam for fun, they hunt to devour. The enemy’s goal isn’t to annoy you, it’s to destroy your faith, kill your witness, and pull you away from Christ.

That’s why Peter says, “Stay alert and watch out” Don’t drift off spiritually. A sober mind means you’re clear-headed, not controlled by fear, pride, anger, lust, or distraction. Being watchful means that you pay attention to what’s influencing you, what you’re feeding your mind, what voices you’re listening to, what compromises you’re making excuses for. The enemy doesn’t only come through blatant and obvious evil. Nah, he comes through small subtle lies: “It’s not that serious.” “You deserve this.” “No one will know.” And that’s exactly how people get devoured....not by explosion, but inch by inch.

But we DON'T FOLD!!!!! Peter doesn’t say, “Run away and hide.” He says, “Stand firm against him.” That means you’re not helpless or a whiner. Friends, in Christ, you are not prey.  You don’t fight the devil with talking loud or being all overly emotional, nah fam, you stand firm in what you know is true. You stand on God’s Word. You stand on the finished work of Christ. You stand knowing that Jesus already crushed the serpent’s head (Genesis 3:15) and disarmed the rulers and authorities at the cross (Colossians 2:15). The enemy may roar like a lion, but he is NOT sovereign. God is.

Check out this last point, Peter adds something real reassuring and comforting: “Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.” In other words, you are not the only one fighting. You’re not crazy. You’re not singled out. Believers all over the world face pressure, temptation, spiritual attacks on all sides and they’re still standing by grace. That should strengthen you. The Christian life is not easy, but it is shared. You are part of a worldwide family, and more importantly, you are kept by a faithful Shepherd (1 Peter 5:4).

So, family, the bottom line is that we can’t afford to live a casual Christianity. We can’t treat sin lightly. We can’t blame everything on “stress” when some of it is spiritual warfare. At the same time, we don’t panic. We don’t live in fear of demons behind every corner. We live alert, grounded, and confident, because our victory is rooted in Christ, not in our own strength.

Buckle up, buttercup! 🎢 💨 

You know what time ⏰ it is!!! 

Maranatha (The Lord is coming)  
Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)

- Grace & Peace
Pastor Trent