SWORD of the SPIRIT                                                                                                         1015

“Stay Awake”

Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning—lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.” (Mark 13:33-37)

When I read our reference Scripture, I am reminded of my time of service in the US Navy where I would periodically be assigned night watch duties. This was a responsibility not to be taken lightly since so many lives depended upon your vigilance. To be caught napping or shirking this duty was considered a serious offense—especially during times of war.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, may I submit to you that we are at war – spiritual war, and Jesus says to all of us, ‘Watch, and stay awake’. This spiritual battle began when Satan tempted Eve with the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden and the battle continues into the present day.

Our problem is that we have become complacent and so caught up with the pleasures and concerns of this world that we do not give a thought to the spiritual battle being waged. In effect, we have fallen asleep. “But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:34-36)

The enemy does not attack us with a sudden rush for surely we would immediately defend ourselves against such an attack. No, the enemy attacks us gradually and subtly through one compromise after another. Prayer is taken out of schools and any reference to Christianity is removed from public places. To preach or take a stand on the principles of God’s Word is considered hate speech and punishable by the law of the land. History books are rewritten and false religions are being taught in our public schools under the guise of cultural education. Our movies, television, books, and music are laced with profanity, sensuality, and what God’s Word considers to be sexual abominations.

All these changes and more have occurred slowly, over time as the Christian church, the Body of Christ has been complacent, asleep, and even compromising on the Word of God and immersing themselves in the cesspool of worldliness. In far too many cases one cannot tell where worldliness ends and Christianity begins – the lines have been blurred.

Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you; But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. (Revelation 3:3; 1 Thessalonians 5:4-6)

Wake up church!