“Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;” I Peter 1:13

“And idle mind is the devil’s workshop.” I know you have heard this saying many times. It is not validated in the bible; but speaks of the propensity to allow thoughts and deeds of negativity to invade our mental space. The enemy is waiting to take advantage of our weakness, and to allow pessimism to enter our minds. He seeks to bring us down with fear, anxiety, and even evil deeds against others. He is the father of all lies.

To walk victorious along this Christian journey we must guard our hearts and minds against spiritual wickedness. The fight is not against our neighbor or even our own corrupt human nature; it is against the enemy of our souls. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Ephesians 6:12.

This fight is constant and is not over until we reach our destination in heaven with the Lord for all eternity.  Yes, let me say it again…our  arch enemy is that old devil called Satan; but be encouraged and hold on.. because he has already been defeated! Colossians 2:15 states that Jesus is triumphant and so are we… “And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”

Satan and his army of evil forces vehemently walks about seeking to destroy the children of God; our minds are the most vulnerable areas of attack. We must keep our minds on God’s truth. Philippians 4:8 admonishes us “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

God centered, positive, and true things are the foundations of a peaceful mind and an onslaught to the enemy. When we embrace the Lord and follow Him, we can walk with a “sober” mind. We will be attacked repeatedly; but we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to overcome the assaults of the devil.

We must act as 1 Peter 1:13 states “Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;” The thought is to prepare for the fight… man-up and “tuck” in your long garment as the Old Testament priest would do, so that we can easily run; this action will keep our minds untangled and heart sober.

The question we must answer is will we choose to walk in victory or in defeat? Victory against the enemy is not dependent on our present or future circumstances. The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. He is guiding us in the paths that we should go. If we believe that He has all power and holds the future in His hands, then we can rest assured that He is orchestrating the events in our lives for our good and His glory.

Faith is able to dispel the dark clouds of doubt, fear, and anxiety that the enemy places in our paths…Hebrews 11:1 assures us with these words “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” God must be our central focus. All power belongs to Him to sustain us through the trials and tribulations of life; we can stand firm on His truth and take comfort in His amazing grace to keep us safe in His arms!

So, take up your sword which is the word of God; remain steadfast, sober-minded and in prayer. God is our hope, peace, and joy, we can hold to this promise forever “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7.

May God’s abundance of peace keep us all.