Be on High Alert
By: Karen Padgett from Moody, AL
In 1941, Pearl Harbor was thought to be impenetrable. It was a geographically secure location with some of the most formidable and protected military presence in the world. U.S. Navy Admiral Kimmel was preparing to play golf on the morning of Sunday, December 7th, unconcerned with the possibility of an attack. He had already disregarded warnings from the mainland in the days prior. And that very morning, he dismissed both a report of incoming airplanes and a report of a spy submarine spotted outside the harbor. Due to such negligence, his fleet was caught completely unprepared by Japanese forces. As a result, 328 aircraft, 19 ships, and 2,403 lives were destroyed.
Ephesians 6 describes the spiritual warfare that we face and the armor we must wear to protect ourselves from the enemy. At the conclusion of this description, in verse 18, encouragement is given to “be alert with all perseverance.” What good is the most powerful army if it is not alert? What good is the mightiest armor if the soldier is not watchful? I daresay we have all seen beloved brethren, seemingly so prepared for battle, fall to the enemy at a vulnerable time. Many of them failed, in the end, to be alert.
Alertness is a quickness to perceive and act. It is the first line of defense both physically and spiritually. We have doorbell cameras on our porches and weather apps on our phones to help us assess our physical safety. But spiritual safety is harder to gauge. Thankfully, the Lord has given us a clear picture in scripture of what to watch for and how to watch. We are both able to perceive and to act.
1 Peter 5:8 tells us to “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” Cain was told in Genesis 4:7 that “sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you.” It seems from this imagery, that we must stay watchful for an enemy who stays in close proximity and will not hesitate to pounce when the time is right.
We also face a crafty enemy who cannot be underestimated. Ephesians 6:11 encourages us to “Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes [or “wiles”] of the devil.” Satan is creative. He uses a variety of tools and tricks to get us to ask over and over again, in seemingly new and inventive ways, the same question he has been planting in our minds since the garden: “But did God really say…?”
Our culture has adopted this question as its banner. Truth can now be whatever one feels at any given moment. What God has deemed sinful is now seen as loving and good, even to many who consider themselves followers of Christ. Worldliness and false teaching cleverly paint themselves in righteous colors. Satan’s attacks come frequently, from all directions, and can be disorienting.
The mixed messages of secular dogma and religious-sounding false teaching should send up red flags for those of us watching. When faced with doubt, we must remember to “Take every thought captive” (2 Cor. 10:4-5). We must look for the markers of “wisdom that comes from above” versus that which is “earthly, natural, demonic.” (James 3:14-18). We must weigh works of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:19-23). We must recognize wolves in sheeps’ clothing, and we will “know them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:15-20). And most importantly, we must know the word of God (1 Thessalonians 2:13).
So, while we know what to watch for, we must remember to watch with clear eyes, completely aware of the reality before us. In Matthew 26, as the Lord prayed in Gethsemane for the suffering He was about to endure, He returned three times to find Peter, James, and John asleep. Verses 40-41 state, “And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and He said to Peter, ‘So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour? Keep watching and praying, so that you do not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.’” Jesus was about to die a gruesome death on a cross, making the ultimate sacrifice for all humanity. And the disciples were about to abandon and deny Him. They could only see the Lord praying in a garden - not the great testing of their souls that was before them. They could not see the reality. So, they slept.
Sisters, we have no time to sleep as we constantly scan the horizon for spiritual threats. We return to Ephesians 6:18 for further instruction: “With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints.” Do you notice that keeping alert is sandwiched here between two thoughts on prayer? Diligent prayer keeps us in constant communication with our King and Commander, keeping His orders at the forefront of our minds. This is why God tells us to “pray without ceasing.”
We must also remember that prayer is not a natural act, but a spiritual one. It is an act of trust and submission to the Father. James 4:8 tells us to “Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” So, we persevere with vigilant prayer.
The spirit may be willing, but so often our flesh is weak. We are often tired, stressed, and distracted by the physical reality around us. We need to see clearly the spiritual dangers ahead and pray that we stand firm both for ourselves and for all of the saints. And as we watch with caution, we also watch with hope for something more. We watch for the return of our Lord. Mark 13:33 tells us to “Take heed, keep on the alert; for you do not know when the appointed time will come.” Christ’s return offers us further motivation to stand watch during the here and now. Knowing ultimately that Christ has already won the war, and that we will stand victorious through Him. With that hope, we are able to continue on fearlessly and tirelessly remaining on high alert.