There are many challenges that we face as Christians.  Our greatest foe, the devil, does not take time out, nor is he in the habit of taking it easy on us.  On the contrary, he is doing everything he can to cause us to fall.

1 Peter 5:8 (ESV)
⁸  Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

The question is, are we going to triumph over the devil, or are we going to become one of his casualties in this spiritual warfare that continues to rage on between God and Satan?  By the power of Christ, activated by our obedience to the gospel, we have already conquered the devil once.  When we were baptized into Christ, our sins were forgiven, and we were saved (Acts 2:38).  Now our determination must be to continue to triumph in Christ.  Peter tells us how to do it.

We must first be sober-minded.  The Greek word is “nēphō” and indicates “exercising self-control” or “being temperate” (Expository Dictionary of Bible Words).  There are many different areas of our lives that the devil attacks.  John summarizes them under three categories—the lust of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16).  Are these not the areas in which Eve was attacked in the Garden of Eden?  Notice her response to the temptation of the serpent.

Genesis 3:6 (ESV)
⁶  So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.

Eve saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food (lust of the flesh), a delight to the eyes (desire of the eyes), and would make her wise (pride of life).  John tells us that these things are of the world.  He warns us not to love them because it is very easy for us to become obsessed with things that fall into one of these categories.  If we are to triumph in Christ, we must exercise the temperance necessary to avoid falling prey to them.  We must be sober-minded.

Next, Peter tells us the best way to be sober-minded or temperate.  We must be watchful.  Watch out for anything that might fall into the categories of the lust of the flesh, desires of the eyes, or the pride of life.  Be careful not to put what you desire before everything else in life, and especially before God.  If you do, you are probably guilty of giving in to the desire of the flesh.  Be careful what you allow yourself to see.  Do not stare upon things that will put unholy thoughts in your mind.  Desires caused by an ungodly gaze can lead to Satan’s victory over you.  Be careful when you have success in life.  If you allow it to “go to your head,” the pride of life will probably get the best of you.

Let us all triumph in Christ by being sober-minded and watchful for that old serpent who is prowling around seeking souls to devour.  Remember, Paul said that in Christ we are “more than conquerors” (Romans 8:37), but we must do our part by continuing to be on guard.

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.