Category: vigilance

Are You Ready for the Devil’s Next Move?

Brent Pollard

Former President Donald Trump was the target of multiple assassination attempts in 2024. Politicians, pundits, and the public have discussed significant concerns about the Secret Service’s adherence to established protocols for protecting Trump after the incidents in July and September. In one case, the would-be assassin gained a tactical edge, and in another, a person armed with a rifle got dangerously close before being stopped. These apparent failures demonstrate that constant readiness and vigilance in risk mitigation are essential.

As concerning as these events may be, our spiritual environment is equally daunting. The Bible warns us about the ever-present spiritual dangers we face. Peter reminds us in 1 Peter 5:8, “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” (NASB95) Just as the Secret Service must remain on constant alert to protect a leader’s life, Christians must also be spiritually vigilant, always prepared for the enemy’s attacks. The devil always seeks moments of weakness when we lower our guard. Ephesians 6.11 instructs us to “Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.” (NASB95)

This call to vigilance extends to how we live each day. The devil does not announce his attacks; instead, he works subtly, sowing seeds of doubt, fear, and temptation. Jesus emphasized the importance of staying spiritually awake in Matthew 26.41, “Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (NASB95) We must be as meticulous in our spiritual preparedness as the Secret Service is in its protocol for protecting leaders, ensuring that we are consistently grounded in prayer, Scripture, and fellowship.

Failure to remain vigilant in our spiritual lives can allow these subtle attacks to go unnoticed, much like a lapse in physical security could lead to danger. The Apostle Paul warned in 2 Corinthians 2.11 that we must be aware of the devil’s schemes to prevent him from gaining an advantage. Paul’s reminder here underscores the critical nature of spiritual readiness, not only for our own sake but also for the sake of those we love. It is essential to be prepared in both personal faith and guarding the souls of those around us.

Proverbs 4.23 reminds us to “Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life” (NASB95). This vigilance applies to our actions and the thoughts and emotions we allow to take root. Like the Secret Service constantly monitors potential threats, we must deliberately guard our hearts, understanding that neglecting our spiritual defenses can lead to trouble.

In essence, physical or spiritual vigilance demands discipline and awareness. Just as the Secret Service protects leaders, we guard our hearts, remain alert, and be ready for daily spiritual challenges.

Comfortable Being Uncomfortable

Steve Candela

As many of you know I have a way of relating my lesson around the fire service and I’m going to do that again here tonight. But some of you may not understand the similarities the fire service has to the Church. Let me give you short list of comparisons. It is a brotherhood. We are a family. We watch out for each other. Call each other out when we stumble. Get each other back on the right path when we go astray. We push each other. And like every one of you, we support each other. We lift each other up when we’re struggling. And we always seek to find the best in one another.

At the firehouse we’ve adopted a saying from the US Navy seals that says “Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable”. If you can be comfortable being uncomfortable, you’ll be prepared to handle whatever situation comes along in your own life. “For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good. So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not” (Rom. 7:14-18).

Who gets uncomfortable just reading that? Paul is talking about the flesh, his sinful nature, not his new nature in Christ. All the good in Paul’s life comes from Christ living in him, rather than originating in Paul. While the inability to do what is righteous and holy highlights humanity’s sinful nature, it also demonstrates the goodness of the law, in contrast to the power of sin. As we are in pursuit of Jesus, we are dumbfounded by our ability to do something, well, ignorant. At times we might ask ourselves, why did I do that? That’s not going to get me any closer to Christ. The struggle is real. But Paul also points out the Grace of God is sufficient in our failings and our weaknesses. See at the firehouse for me, we are placed in uncomfortable situations almost every day. It could be out on an accident scene where no one has any regard for a big red truck with lights on in the road. Could be in a fire trying to put it out or search for victims. Or it might just be at the station behind closed doors having those difficult discussions with the ones we work with and care about. However getting comfortable with being uncomfortable does not mean to be complacent or use our flesh as a reason to sin. It means we need to stay vigilant and prepared. We need to understand that when we fall short of the goal, or we just miss the mark all together, the grace from God is there to lift us back up.

I have one other saying I’d like to share from our firehouse with you that hits home every time I say it. “Would you want you rescuing you?” We have one of the most physically demanding jobs in the world. The decisions we make and the actions we take have very real consequences. On each and every call we are working to increase the chance of survival for our fellow man. This mission is driven by perfected skills and physical preparation. It is our responsibility to show up physically prepared and hold ourselves accountable to the oath we swore (Eph. 6:10-17).

As Christians the decisions we make and the actions we take have very real consequences. Are we working each and every day to save our soul? Our mission is clear. The word of God provides us everything we need to extinguish evil. It is our individual responsibility to remain prepared and hold ourselves accountable to the oath we swore.