Bible Text: 1 Peter 5:8-11 | Preacher: Pastor Joe Ricchuiti | Series: 1 Peter, Cross Training

1 Peter could be a commentary on Peter’s life and on what he learned especially from his failures. The background to Peter’s teaching in 5:8,9 is found in Jesus’ warning to Peter and Peter’s failure in Luke 22:31ff and Mark 14:32ff.

Watchfulness is necessary on the part of believers because;

-we have in Satan an adversary who seeks to destroy our faith and testimony

-we are to be “self-controlled”- “sober,” that is, free from every form of mental and spiritual drunkenness, free from excess, in control of our faculties and feelings.” Drunkenness is an apt illustration because a person under the control of alcohol sustains a loss of perspective, a loss of emotional control, and a loss of rational control. We are to be balanced in all areas, balances between intellect and emotion, heaven and earth, truth and love, equality and authority.

-we are to be “alert” so that we aren’t caught napping at the time of attack.

Satan’s attack upon Peter (cited in #1) was an attack upon Peter’s faith, not his morals or ethics; an attack upon his commitment to Christ and his testimony. Jesus prayed that Peter’s faith might stand, not to prevent him from failure or to save his from the trial.

Believers have an opponent, an adversary Peter refers to as the devil or Satan. Satan, devil, and serpent (Gen. 3) are referred to as the same person in Rev. 12:9. Satan/Devil means accuser, slanderer, adversary. He accuses humans to God and God to humans. Matthew Henry calls Satan “the fierce and greedy pursuer of souls.”

Concerning the identity of Satan:

-he is a person, not a force or influence

-he is a created being (not in any way the equal of God only in evil)

-he is a fallen angel who through pride rebelled against God.

One of Satan’s major characteristics is that he is deceptive, a deceiver about God’s Word (Gen. 3:4); he is liar and murderer (John 8:44); he masquerades as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14; who leads the whole world astray (Rev. 12:9-11).