Ephesians 6:18
“With every prayer and request, pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be alert with all perseverance and every request for all the saints.”
We are to be alert and to pray. Jesus said in Matthew 26:41, "Watch and pray so that you will not enter into temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” Peter was about to have a very difficult night. Probably the worst in his life.
Going back to the beginning of this passage on spiritual armor, it says, "Therefore take up the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you will be able to stand your ground, and having done everything, to stand", (v. 13). It was a day of evil for Peter. We will have them to. It's like an earthquake. We don't know when they are coming.
Paul tells us to be alert. Satan caught Eve unaware. Adam knew better and should have stopped her", (I Timothy 2:14). I can't condemn as I have sinned countless times. That doesn't mean we should stop trying. We are to be alert against evil.
Hebrews 5:14 shares an important passage in regard to this, "but solid food is for the mature, the ones by constant use having trained the senses for distinguishing both good and evil." As we mature in Christ our senses are trained.
What are spiritual senses? We all sin and learn to detect patterns of temptation. We get sensitive to when our particular weaknesses get triggered. We learn to avoid any small thing that would get the temptation going.
We also learn the voice of the Spirit. Romans 8:16 says, "The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God". As we get close to sin, we sense a disruption in that peace that God puts in us. We back track and seek to escape it.
Proverbs 21:1 says, "The king’s heart is a waterway in the hand of the LORD; He directs it where He pleases". God does this to all of us. When we get hunches and prompting, they may be from God. Don't dismiss them outright. Test them.
All of these practices train our spiritual senses. We exercise them to keep our distance from evil, but also to follow Him. This is all part of staying alert.
Ephesians 6:12 says, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." There is a spiritual world all around us. There are angels and demons and fortunately God. The dark forces are seeking to obstruct our spiritual progress. They would like to separate us from God and destroy us with sin. God does much to protect us. However, He does allow us some exposure to teach us to be sensitive to evil, so as to avoid it.
God also brings us in the fight for people. We share the good news with them and pray. We become part of His army in the fight for holiness and saving and encouraging souls.
Lord, thank You that You strengthen and equip us for our walk with You as well as the struggle for souls. Thank You for the insight You give us. Help us to walk in holiness and to pray and encourage others.