Ephesians 6:11 (ESV) Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

We need reminders from time to time as to who the real enemy is and his schemes. Our focus of that fact is often hidden from us by the observing of others. This is nothing new. Today might present itself with a new set of behaviors that make life more difficult for everyone. It is not anything new.

Matthew 24:3-8 (ESV)

Signs of the End of the Age

As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.

Look at verse 8. This is just the beginning. I know that believers have been looking forward to the return of the King for nearly 2000 years. That is nothing new and neither are the distractions. They take on different forms, some more dangerous than other, but have existed from His resurrection until now. This is nothing new.

2 Corinthians 2:11 (ESV) so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.

We need to be reminded from time to time of who the enemy truly is and how to defeat his schemes.

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

That first sentence of this verse tells me to be serious. When I get to know people and make friends I have a tendency to relax and be myself. We should be honest with our friends with whom we have developed trust, respect and like thinking. We tend to gravitate to people who have the same likes and personality traits.

My accountability partner and I share the same sense of humor and we feed off each other. When we start creating these puns, we pun-ish our wives. We have been separated at the lunch table just because of it. There is no harm between us but the enemy is seeking to devour someone and it isn’t going to be us. It will be someone in close proximity to our jocularity.

Group settings are diverse in personality. Some you know better than others. How one person perceives and receives information may be different than that of one you know very well. Speaking to a dear friend in that relationship language has a tendency to make others feel excluded or cut off. Personal experiences allow us to relate in ways that are lost on others and it should not be that way.

One thing we tend to forget is that Satan isn’t afraid to come to church. While we are there to worship he is there to trip up those who feel cut off and separated. A lost sheep could very well be in our midst and we don’t even know it. There is nothing as lonely as feeling alone in a crowd. We all need connection and a sense of belonging. We all want to fit comfortably.

Take fellowship seriously, be sober, and be aware of others.