Caution Series

“CAUTION”

1 Peter 5: 8 (p859) July 8, 2012

INTRODUCTION:

I found one of my favorite slideshows online while preparing for this message…it was entitled….”Today Ridiculous Caution Signs”

Want to see “them? Well, I’m going to show them regardless…

(Show totally ridiculous caution signs)

I think my 2 favorites were “warring…Please check under your car for penguins” You know there are people all over that parking lot…cautiously doing this (bent over carefully looking under their car)….and in the past there had to be real penguins hiding under the cars…

And I loved the “caution…all unattended children will be given an edible espresso and a puppy”…genius.

I thought those caution signs were hilarious but 1 Peter 5:8 isn’t funny…it’s a scriptural caution sign that should make us stop and take notice…Here’s what it says.

“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

We have to realize it’s written for believers…those who believe in spiritual warfare and satanic attacks…not bad luck…or Karma…but real battles that take place in an unseen area.

The apostle Paul gives a pretty clear definition of who we’re fighting…where it’s happening…and why we should be cautious”

“Our struggle is not against flesh and blood (Satan might work in and through people, but our battle isn’t against …people), but against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm.” (Eph 6:12)

The first caution sign I’d share with you is…as a believer…

I DON’T FORGET THERE IS A SPIRITUAL BETTLE TAKING PLACE

You can’t physically see this battle…and because of that it’s easy to ignore it or blame it upon people or circumstances.

A million years ago a Christian singer named Keith Green wrote a song from Satan’s viewpoint called “No One Believes in Me Anymore.”Here’s a trip down memory lane for some of us my age…

(Play 1st and 2nd verses of N.O.B.I.M.A.

The songs end with these lines… Everyone likes a winner, with my help, you’re guaranteed to win. And hey man, you’re ain’t no sinner, you’ve got the truth within, And as your life slips by you believe the lie that you did it on your own, But don’t worry, I’ll be there to help you share our dark eternal home. Oh, my job keeps getting easier, as day slips into day, The magazines, the newspapers, print every word I say, This world is just my spinning top; it’s all like child’s-play, You know, I dream that it will never stop, but I know it’s not that way, Still my work goes on and on, always stronger than before, I’m gonna make it dark before the dawn since no one believes in me anymore. Well now I used to have to sneak around, but now they just open their doors, You know, no one watches for my tricks since no one believes in me anymore, Well I’m gaining power by the hour; they’re falling by the score, You know, it’s getting very easy now since no one believes in my anymore.

Peter is cautioning us to never forget the enemy…doesn’t slip into spiritual apathy…doesn’t fall asleep or become complacent in this war…that could be deadly.

Irwin Rommel, one of the greatest tank commanders during World War II for Germany…who many times had huge victories with inferior numbers said…”look for the weakness. Attach the arrogant.

The danger for Believers is we become unteachable self assured (not self controlled) and self reliant…we begin to believe we’re too strong to fall…and guess what…God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble…Humble your self’s, therefore under God’s might hand…that he may lift you up in due time”. (1 Pet 5:5, 6)

Pride makes god your adversary… Humility makes him your friend.

If you are a believer who’s become prideful, unteachable…God opposes you…and Satan wants to devour you…that’s not a controllable place to be.

Satan is prowling around looking for individuals like that…why…”So he can devour them”

Be aware…Be alert…control yourself. You’re still in the battle zone…and your enemy is looking for the weak spot…he wants to attack the arrogant.

But Satan also has a plan for those who aren’t believers…He’s covert…disguises himself…pretends…II Cor 4:4 reveals this about him…”the God of this age has blended the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Satan schemes…the evil one plans his attacks…and there is a hierarchy of evil at work in the unseen heavenly realms…

Satan cannot create…He can only plagiarize…so he tries to present you with a fake Savior (Like money) or a diversion, (like stuff or a relationship instead of peace…He offers numbness (alcohol, pills,you know liquid courage)

All designed to keep a lost person’s eyes off their deepest need…forgiveness!! And a relationship with god, through Christ”.