8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 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. 1 Peter 5:8-9

An often used sports cliche is the phrase, “if we stay within ourselves.” It’s used along with “sticking to the game plan,” etc. Well, there is no more formidable opponent than Satan in anyone’s life. He’s the most powerful of all the angels, bound and determined to destroy our lives, as he did his. Like a hungry lion on the prowl, he seeks to attack at any sign of weakness or distraction.

We can’t fight him, but we can win out, if we stay within ourselves. That is, if we stay sober in spirit. If we fix our hope on his grace. If we stay alert to his tactics. If we stay disciplined and firm in our faith. All these actions on our part allow us to resist in the “evil day” (Ephesians 5:16). In other words, if we stay stick to the game plan.

While our battles are one-on-one, it’s good to know we’re not the only one taking on the devil. We should be rejoicing with others in faith’s locker room, having won out, i.e. victoriously completed, the same contests.