Watch and Be Sober
“Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.”
—I Thessalonians 5:6 (KJV)
Introduction
History has shown us the danger of being caught unprepared.
On December 7, 1941, the attack on Pearl Harbor struck suddenly.
On September 11, 2001, the Twin Towers fell in an unexpected wave of terror.
Both moments shook our nation and exposed how complacency can invite disaster.
Paul gives us the same warning in Scripture:
“Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.” (I Thessalonians 5:6)
Christians cannot afford to drift into slumber when the world around us grows darker.
The devil is prowling, nations are shaking, and Christ’s return draws near.
This message calls us to spiritual alertness and sobriety.
1. The Call to Sobriety and Watchfulness
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” (I Peter 5:8 KJV)
Paul gives this charge because the days are evil and the times are perilous.
The devil never sleeps.
He is always on the prowl, looking for the careless, the prayerless, and the spiritually distracted. If soldiers sleep at their posts, the whole camp is in danger.
If Christians sleep in their walk with God,
their homes, their churches, and their souls become vulnerable.
Sobriety means having a clear mind,
free from the intoxicating distractions of sin, pleasure, and worldliness.
Watching means staying alert, prayerful,
and prepared for both the trials of life and the coming of the Lord.
Jesus told of ten virgins who went out to meet the bridegroom.
Five were wise and brought oil in their lamps.
Five were foolish and unprepared.
At midnight, the cry was made, “Behold, the bridegroom cometh!”
The wise entered in, but the foolish were left behind.
“Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” (Matthew 25:13 KJV)
Many today are like the foolish virgins
—going about daily life without oil in their lamps,
without prayer,
without the Spirit’s fire.
But Christ is coming.
Only the watchful and prepared will enter in.
“Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” (Matthew 25:13 KJV)
2. Historical Warnings—Lessons Not to Be Forgotten
“For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.” (I Thessalonians 5:3 KJV)
History teaches that when men ignore warnings, disaster strikes.
Both Pearl Harbor and 9/11 illustrate what happens when warning signs are ignored.
In both cases, danger was near, but too many were unprepared.
Likewise, Jesus warned:
“Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.” (Matthew 24:42 KJV)
The people in Noah’s day lived as though judgment would never come.
They ate, drank, and married until the flood swept them away (Matthew 24:38–39).
The cry of “peace and safety” lulls nations and souls into complacency,
but Paul warns:
“For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.” (I Thessalonians 5:3 KJV)
Biblical Example: Belshazzar’s Feast (Daniel 5:1–31)
King Belshazzar held a drunken feast, mocking God by drinking from the holy vessels of the temple.
While he boasted in false security, the armies of the Medes and Persians were already breaking through the gates.
That very night the hand of God wrote on the wall:
“Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.” (Daniel 5:27 KJV).
Before dawn, Belshazzar was slain and Babylon fell.
Application: Like Belshazzar,
King Belshazzar held a drunken feast,
He was mocking God by drinking from the holy vessels of the temple.
While he boasted in false security,
the armies of the Medes and Persians were already breaking through the gates.
That very night the hand of God wrote on the wall: “Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.” (Daniel 5:27 KJV).
Before dawn, Belshazzar was slain and Babylon fell.
Application: Like Belshazzar, nations and people who ignore God’s warnings will be overtaken by sudden judgment.
False peace is more dangerous than open war.
3. A Nation and a Church in Need of Awakening
“But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.” I Peter 4:7
Even now, America drifts in a fog of humanism and spiritual indifference.
Leaders call for vigilance against terrorism,
but few call for repentance before Almighty God.
“Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.” (Psalm 33:12 KJV)
A nation that forgets God will not stand long.
The same is true for churches and families.
We must wake up!
The apostle Peter reminds us:
“But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.” I Peter 4:7
Biblical Example: The Church of Laodicea (Revelation 3:14–22)
Laodicea prided itself in wealth, medicine, and textiles.
They thought they had everything.
But Jesus said: “Thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” (Revelation 3:17 KJV).
He warned that because they were lukewarm,
He would spew them out of His mouth.
Yet He graciously called them to repent and open the door to Him.
Application: The American church is in danger of Laodicea’s fate
—rich in possessions but poor in spirit.
We must awaken from lukewarmness and return to prayer, holiness, and zeal for Christ.
4. Our Strength in the Midst of Danger
“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.” (I John 4:4 KJV)
Though the devil roams, God’s people are not without hope.
“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.” (I John 4:4 KJV)
Christ has given us His Spirit to guide, guard, and empower us.
With Him, we can stand watchful and strong, not in fear, but in faith.
Elisha and the Chariots of Fire (2 Kings 6:8–17)
The story unfolds during a time when the king of Syria was warring against Israel.
Every time he plotted in secret, the prophet Elisha revealed the plans to Israel’s king by the word of the Lord.
This enraged the Syrian king,
and he sent a great army with horses and chariots to surround the city of Dothan where Elisha was staying.
At dawn, Elisha’s servant went out and saw the enemy forces encircling the city.
Terrified, he cried out: “Alas, my master! how shall we do?” (2 Kings 6:15 KJV).
From the servant’s perspective, the situation was hopeless.
Outnumbered, outpowered, and trapped, fear consumed him.
But Elisha saw things differently.
He responded: “Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.” (2 Kings 6:16 KJV).
Then Elisha prayed a simple but profound prayer: “LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see.” (2 Kings 6:17 KJV).
And suddenly, the servant’s eyes were opened to the spiritual reality
— the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire surrounding Elisha.
The invisible armies of heaven had been there all along.
The servant just couldn’t see them until God opened his eyes.
Application
This account teaches us three vital truths:
1. We often see only the enemy, not the victory.
Like Elisha’s servant, we are quick to focus on problems, dangers, and threats.
Satan uses fear to blind us to God’s presence.
2. Faith sees what fear cannot.
Elisha was calm because he trusted God’s unseen power.
While the servant trembled, Elisha stood firm.
Faith looks beyond the visible to the promises of God.
3. God’s protection is greater than Satan’s attack.
For every enemy strategy, God has already prepared heavenly defenses.
We may be surrounded by trouble, but we are also surrounded by God.
Connection to Our Day
In our world today, dangers surround us — terrorism, violence, moral decline, spiritual darkness.
It may feel like the church is outnumbered.
But the same God who filled the mountains of Dothan with fiery chariots is the same God who defends us now.
When we feel overwhelmed, we must pray as Elisha prayed: “Lord, open our eyes.”
Open our eyes to see Your Spirit’s presence,
Your power at work, and Your promises standing firm.
We can stand confident, not because we are strong, but because
He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world.
Conclusion
From the foolish virgins, Belshazzar, Laodicea, and Elisha’s servant, we learn:
- Some were unprepared and perished.
- Others saw the unseen and triumphed by faith.
The choice is ours: will we sleep, or will we watch and be sober?
“Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.” I Thessalonians 5:6
Reflection & Prayer
Reflection: Am I spiritually awake, or drifting in complacency?
Am I prepared with oil in my lamp, watchful for Christ’s return?
