Friday June 05th, 2020
To memorize: 1 Peter 5:8
” Be self-controlled and be always careful. The devil, your enemy, goes around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. ”
To read: 1 Samuel 17:1-11, 26
The Philistines were at war again. Their army had lined up on one side of a valley; the Israelite had set up camp on the other.
A huge man from the Philistine army came out and challenged the Israelite army. He wore bronze armor and carried a long spear. A soldier walking in front of him carried his shield. The Philistine shouted across the valley to the Israelite; “I dare the Israelite army to choose someone to fight me. If he wins, we will be your slaves; but if I win, you will be our slaves.”
When Saul and his men heard Goliath’s challenge they were terrified!
Is the enemy of God stronger than I am?
Goliath, a giant in the Philistine army, was enormous. Not even the bravest soldier in Saul’s army was willing to take up Goliath’s challenge to fight him—no matter how big the reward.
Unlike Goliath, our enemy cannot be seen. We don’t know what the devil is planning or what his army is doing. The devil puts his evil plans into the hearts of people who allow him to control them. They then go out and do the devil’s dirty work through the evil deeds we see in the world. Only when we see the evil around us do we know how and where the devil is working.
It is foolish to take on the devil’s army in our own human strength. Acts 19:11-16 shows the difference between conquering the devil in the strength of the Lord and trying to fight the devil with human strength. It is only with the power of God’s Spirit in us that we can fight against the attacks of the devil. When we resist the devil by using the powerful words from the Bible, he runs away from us—defeated! (James 4:7).
Study questions:
- In your own words, explain today’s memory verse.
- Explain in details how someone can allow the devil to control them.
- Explain in details what it means ‘to conquer the devil in the strength of the Lord’. Give an example.
Author: Dave Strehler
Text edited by Naomie
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