1 Peter 3:13-22
Verse 14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.”
While some of the cost of revival comes from other people, we can’t forget one very important component of revival, evil. There is nothing the enemy despises more than when we get on fire for God and start making Him known to the nations. For that reason we can be sure that when God is reviving us and we start living out that revival, we will find ourselves on the enemy’s most wanted list.
It is sometimes easy to ignore the forces we can’t see but when we are on the receiving end of them, they become all too real. Unlike in cartoons, when the enemy comes to attack us, he isn’t dressed in red with a pitchfork. When the enemy and his forces see God’s people starting to really ramp up our love for Him and His ways, they will know it is time to fight.
The enemy’s plan to get us off track comes in at least two different forms – temptation and trials. This doesn’t mean that every hardship or temptation which come our way is a spiritual attack. There are some things which are the result of other choices in our lives and maybe someone else’s choices. The thing for us to understand is how he is going to make things as hard as he can so the revival won’t be as effective or that we will become discouraged.
Focusing on him and the trials would please him because it means we aren’t focusing on God and His work in our lives. Since he doesn’t want the world to be affected by the message of Christ, he will try to distract us from living as we should and will attack by making us feel like we aren’t good enough to stand for Christ. No matter what tactics he may try, we need to hold to the truth of who Jesus is and what revival means for those around us.
We also need to remember Who revival is all about and keep our focus on Him, living as He wants us to and spreading the Gospel with the boldness revival requires. Of course, revivals are for us too. The joy of the Spirit that is ours when we have been revived can help us through the enemy’s attacks. We can’t allow him to hamper how alive we feel in the Lord.
Making It Personal
When have you felt like the enemy was trying to steal your joy or take your focus off of God? How do you respond to those attacks? Are there ways you could prevent them?
Making It Personal Kids
Do you ever have times when it seems like you are getting distracted from Jesus? What do you do if you feel like something is trying to keep you from focusing on HIm? How can you keep your attention on Him?
Closing Prayer
Father, we repent of how we allow the enemy to distract us from focusing on You. Give us a sensitivity to Your Spirit so we can tell if the enemy is trying to get our attention. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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