Resist him, Firm in Your Faith

[Christsfreeservant]

“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Peter 5:6-11 NASB1995)​

In context, this was an exhortation to the church elders to “shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock” (1 Peter 5:2-3 NASB1995). And I have always loved these words because they describe what the overseers of our church gatherings are supposed to be like in character and word and deed.

But the following words (quoted first here) do not have to only be said to overseers of church congregations, but they can apply to all of us who are followers of Jesus Christ. For all of us (church elders and pastors included) are to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, not thinking that we know better than God or that we don’t have to seek his counsel, and that we can still run our own lives the way that we want to. But we are to see ourselves through the eyes of God and realize how much we need him.

As those who are of genuine biblical faith in Jesus Christ, we are to deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin and to self), and follow our Lord in obedience to his commands. We are to surrender our lives to Jesus Christ, in submission to his will and purpose for our lives. And we are to regard our lives as no longer our own to be lived how we want, for via the blood of Jesus Christ shed on that cross, we were bought back for God out of our lives of bondage to sin so that we will now serve the Lord with our lives.

And we are to cast all our anxiety on him, because he cares for us. And why might we be anxious? For thousands of reasons, probably, for life is not always kind to us, and people aren’t always, either. And we will face difficulties and trials and tribulations to test our faith, for sure. And I am going through some of those personally myself. Although not nearly as severe as what Job faced, mine are just about as multifaceted as were his, for he was called upon to suffer in so many different ways and means.

So this speaks to me, as well, to keep giving my pain and my suffering over to the Lord, trusting him to accomplish his will and purpose in my life through what he has called upon me to suffer right now. And I pray every day that I would make the right and wise decisions, and that he would always lead me in where to go and in what to do and in what to say.

For I think this is way more than I have ever had “on my plate” all at the same time before, where I am dealing with heart failure, breathing difficulty, sharp chest pain and pressure, and the possibility of cancer in 3 different body locations. And that is on top of the neuropathy, the leg pain, the dizziness, the balance issues, the head twitchings, irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, cognitive decline, fatigue, swelling in the legs and ankles and abdomen, cough, heart palpitations, and possibly surgeries, too.

And the devil is definitely attacking me and fighting against me in trying to get me to give up hope or to be anxious, because all this is overwhelming. But it is more of an oppressive kind of feeling that is non-descript and yet uncomfortable at the same time. And sometimes I do break down and cry, too. But I am resisting him, and I am fighting back strong in my faith and in my trust and hope in God, in the power of God at work within me, as I draw on HIS strength, despite what all I am suffering physically at this time.

I know God has a plan and a purpose for all of this in my life, and that he is going to work good in my life, and in other people’s lives, too, through this time of suffering he is taking me through. And I have to walk by faith because I don’t know what is going to come about through all of this, or how it is all going to turn out, or even if I am going to live and not die. But I know God is in control, that he is completely sovereign over my life and over my circumstances, and that good is going to come out of this somehow.

To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen!

[Matthew 5:10-12; Matthew 7:13-14; Matthew 10:16-39; Matthew 24:9-14; Luke 6:22-23; Luke 21:12-17; John 15:18-21; John 17:14; Romans 5:3-5; Philippians 3:7-11; 1 Peter 1:6-7; 1 Peter 4:12-17; 2 Timothy 3:12; 1 Thessalonians 3:1-5; James 1:2-4; 2 Corinthians 1:3-11; Hebrews 12:3-12; 1 John 3:13; Revelation 6:9-11; Revelation 7:9-17; Revelation 11:1-3; Revelation 12:17; Revelation 13:1-18; Revelation 14:1-13]

His Tender Mercies

An Original Work / January 26, 2014
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Fear not! I’m with you.
Be not dismayed!
God watches o’er you.
Trust Him today.
He’ll lead and guide you;
Give you His aid.
He’ll love and keep you
With Him always.

Walk in His footsteps.
He’ll lead the way.
Trust in His love;
Believe that He cares.
He will not leave you.
Faithful He’ll be.
His tender mercies
Now you will see.

Fellowship with Him
Throughout the day.
Tell Him your heartaches.
He’ll heal always.
Rest in His comfort.
He is your friend.
Your faith He’ll strengthen,
True to the end.

Resist him, Firm in Your Faith
An Original Work / October 31, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love