“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong” (1 Cor 16:13)

Tourists who happen to visit Bukingham palace will be expected to notice the King’s royal guards. Dressed in colorful often red uniforms and adorning tall black helmets they stand on guard and no one dare cross them. Elsewhere in life we find guards in all manner of places quite firm on detering any intruder wherever they may be.

For Christians being on constant guard is a calling we must parmanently observe. This is exactly what happened when in the course of his work, “Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns” (Mathew 16:23). Peter had just protested that he would not deny Jesus and of course this was just a distraction from the enemy.

There is something for us to note here. Satan had penetrated the ranks of Jesus and was going through his closest disciple. It is clear that Peter was not even aware that he was being used. Anyway, he found his target, Jesus, on guard. Immediately he was sent packing.

No believer is immune to attacks from Satan. After all when once the Lord asked Satan his whereabouts: “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the LORD, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it” (Job 1:7). Clearly he is out there 24/7 looking for whom to devour. “Be alert, be on watch! Your enemy, the Devil, roams around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (I Peter 5:8).

This is why it is important to be on guard ever-like those King’s royal guards. Those royal guards while on duty never lower their guard until another soldier comes up to take their cue, just as we should also through our Christian life!

Prayer today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, as you have warned us to be on “guard” help me ever to be on the watch out for the attacks of the enemy and with your word rebuke him, this I pray in Jesus’s name!