Lesson Three • Grow
Devotion #1: Watch Out for the Wolves
Pastor Justin Dean
“Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you. Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh.” Philippians 3:1-2
Being a huge nerd, one of my favorite things to do is read about what life was like in medieval times. One thing that is always so foreign to me is the constant threat of wolves. I have only ever seen a wolf once in my life, and it was in an enclosure at the zoo. Having to be on the lookout for this dangerous animal is something I have never once experienced. To think this was a constant reality for people hundreds of years ago boggles my mind. Traveling, hunting, and even just daily life on their farm presented a potential danger.
Paul writes Philippians 3:1-2 with the understanding that for the people of this church, being on the lookout for animals hoping to harm is a regular experience. Though he uses the analogy of dogs, he really means evil people seeking to lie, distract, and dissuade you from growing in your spiritual walk with God.
As we grow in our relationship with God, our enemy’s chief concern is stopping that growth by any means necessary. Our enemies are Satan, his minions, our flesh, false teachers, and ungodly people who wish to see us abandon our faith. If we are not on the lookout, we can easily become their prey. In those medieval days, the best way to be prepared for wolves was to be armed and ready for the beasts when they came. Paul, in the book of Ephesians, lays a similar strategy before us as we grow.
Ephesians 6:10-18 (NIV) says, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”
We must prepare ourselves to ensure that we are armed and ready with each of these facets of the armor of God. We need to remind ourselves of the importance of each piece and surround ourselves with others who will stand beside us when we need to resist our enemy.
As you wrap up this devotion, I ask that you pray and ask God to equip you with these pieces of His armor so that you may be ready and alert when the enemies come looking to stop your growth. Ask that He set your feet firmly and not let you become distracted or slip into complacency, but keep you fervent in your spiritual growth and your desire to see others do the same.