"Stay vigilant, sober and alert; watchful and on guard, for your adversary the devil - walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour" - (1 Peter 5:8)

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Somewhere around February of 2021 I had a powerful prophetic dream in which I now feel led to share publicly.

In the dream I was standing in the middle of a ring, almost like that of a circus ring. My husband was standing outside the ring and stood there looking at me. As I stood there, a tiger walked up to me playfully, and friendly began rubbing against my hand and then my legs indicating at first, he was friendly and would do no harm. Next, he began to lightly nibble on my fingers as if teasing me, but not really hurting me. However, it did begin to alarm me – he had the “appearance” of friendliness and cuteness, and I had begun to let down my guard against him. The next thing I knew, he began to eat my fingers. He turned into a raging enemy in the end – seeking to eat me, devour me – and I had allowed him to do it, not stopping him from the beginning. My husband stood on the sidelines and watched as I asked him to help. (end of dream)

It’s interesting that the word “devour” means – to destroy as if by eating, to take in eagerly by the senses or mind, to eat up hungrily.

The Lord began to speak to me concerning “Be sober, be vigilant for your adversary walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). I went to search Google to see where in scripture this was found and we can see it many places. This scripture reminds us to be sober and vigilant for the enemy of our soul, (our adversary), his goal is to shake us, detour us, distract us, divert our attentions – and he often comes as “an angel of light” – something friendly.

The word “Watch” – (Greek) Ayputtvia – means to be awake, on alert, on the lookout or keep vigil.

To keep vigil. Sounds a lot like the ten virgins, with the oil and lamps (Matt. 25). We must remain alert on Him, the truth of our life in Him, He in us as our LIFE (all in all), as He makes us strong, firm and steadfast (1 Peter 5:10) for He has become our firm foundation. We continue to fix our eyes on this truth, being unmoved – come what may. And although our adversary cannot separate us from God’s love (Rom. 8:38-39), he actively attempts to affect our daily lives and those around us (children, parents, co-workers, friends, etc….)

Peters command for us to be sober and vigilant echoes Jesus’ command from the Garden of Gethsemane in Mark 14:38, when He said “Watch and pray so that you won’t fall into temptation. The Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” Satan desired to “sift” (separate) the disciples like wheat (Luke 22:31), prompting Jesus’ prayers for them saying “Watch and Pray, Be Sober, Be Vigilant.” Sober and vigilant are closely connected (vigilant and or alert).

The term “sober” meaning – free from intoxicating or bewitching influences (mixture).

Paul said to the Galatians “Who has bewitched you? (Galatians 3). Who came in and brought MIXTURE, outside influences to derail you. This happens to us so frequently, especially if we are not on guard, alert and keeping vigil against these things. Things come, difficulties even through people close to us to cause our eyes to be diverted from the truth of who we are, where we are living (We are in Union with Christ, He is us, us in Him – we live here). It’s imperative that we be not influenced by “appearances” or by “distractions” that have an illusion of truth but are only a deception to derail us. To be sober means not allowing ourselves to be influenced by anything which would lead us, distract or divert us, lure us away from God’s truth and His sound judgement. Soberness is a state of mind, a state of being.

To be vigilant means to keep careful watch for possible danger or intruders or difficulties. It requires action! A vigilant person actively pays attention to what tries to get his attention, affecting his heard and mind (out of it flow the issues of life – Prov. 4:23). We must guard our hearts and minds as we vigilantly keep watch, as a watchman looking for prey, seeking an open door or slot.

Ephesians 4 reminds us to be sober and vigilant saying “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood (people), but against the rulers, the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and the spiritual forces of evil in heavenly realms” (Eph. 6:10-18). This then, is our position, standing firm in Christ our protection and provision, letting nothing move us! Our faith in Him and the truth of our life in Him IS OUR VICTORY! We fix our eyes on THIS TRUTH, we settle in and live here knowing and applying God’s word and rid ourselves quickly of any contrary thing that comes. This is our combat gear! We keep our thoughts and minds on whatsoever is lovely, true and of good reports – always going back to the Truth (Christ and our life in Him), refusing any doubt and unbelief (Phil. 48) which is actually sin (missing the mark). j

We have a spiritual enemy likened to a raging lion who is constantly seeking to destroy us, our relationships, business, children, heath (fill in the blank) all that concerns us; we don’t fear him, we are centered in Christ, He is our very life, our peace. We are sober and vigilant on guard with Christ as our center, who fights for us. We walk then, according to the spirit not the flesh or things of this world but pursue the things of God and as we do this, we then have the mind of Christ in all things. We experience joy and peace that passes all human comprehension and live in perfect love knowing experientially in daily fact, that “Greater is He that is in me (Christ), than he that is in the world (our enemy, the devil) who seeks to destroy us (1 John 4:4).

Settle in now, and know that our Lord, our Beloved will keep us in and through all things and things to come!