Be Prepared - Watch and Be Sober

 

Ephesians 6:10-13 We are involved in a spiritual fight.

 

II Corinthians 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:

 

4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 

 

5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

 

Imagination means ways of reasoning. We are to not let human reasoning interfere with spiritual reasoning.

 

Literal: Demolish your human logic from the high position to which you have lifted it vertically against the knowledge of God which you have known by experience; be wise, lead captive everything to Christ which you have attentively listened to and heard.

 

We are to be prepared spiritually. We are to watch and be sober spiritually.

 

I Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

 

God was prepared for us.

 

I Corinthians 14:8 For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?

 

We understand the meaning of the warning, the trumpet sound. We need to be prepared spiritually too.

 

II Timothy 2:21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.

 

We need to be prepared to act when God needs us. Ananais was.

 

Acts 9:10-19a

 

God prepared Peter for his meeting with the household of Cornelius by sending Him to Joppa.

 

Acts 9:43 And it came to pass, that he tarried many days in Joppa with one Simon a tanner.

 

Tanner’s lived outside of the city and were very smelly places. This wasn’t the nicest location to live. God was preparing Peter to go to a household of the Gentiles—not the right place for a legalist former Jew. 

 

God prepared Noah for his mission. He told him in advance what was going to happen, and how he needed to save himself and his family.

 

Hebrews 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. 

 

Hebrews 11:16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

 

God has prepared a place for Israel. This is their hope.

 

I Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.

 

“Be ready” is a form of the Greek word prepared. We should always be ready, be prepared to have God’s answers to the questions that are asked us about God, His Son, and His Word.

 

Titus 3:1 Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work,

 

2 To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.

 

We need to be ready to do a good work, the work of God.

 

Titus 3:8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.

 

9 But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.

 

Luke 12:15-24, 35-40 [verse 20 provided is prepared]

 

We need to watch. We cannot become indifferent to spiritual matters.

 

I Thessalonians 1:9-10, 4:16-18, 5:1-11

 

In verse 6 we are told to watch and be sober. Sober means to be in perfect control of your senses.

 

We are not to be asleep at the switch, not observing, not seeing the things that are coming to pass. Let us not go to sleep with the ministry of the greatness of God’s Word as people have done through the centuries. They lost the great truth of the Word.

 

Watch is to be vigilant. If you are vigilant you are always on the watch.

 

Acts 20:28-31 Watch, be vigilant. If you are not vigilant, grievous wolves are going to come in and devour, and they will not spare the flock. So if we are not vigilant among ourselves, that is exactly what is going to happen.

 

There are those who teach things contrary to sound doctrine to try to draw disciples after themselves. We need to be vigilant to not let this happen. 

 

II Timothy 4:2-5 Watch thou, be vigilant, in all things…

 

Watch, stay put on sound doctrine, so as to stay in control. If you allow yourself to take in unsound doctrine, you sway, you swerve, like you are drunk, not sober. If you are drunk you lose control of your senses. We have to hold everything up to the Word of God.

 

Prayer helps.

 

Colossians 4:2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; [be vigilant in your prayer life]

 

3 Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:

 

If you are not vigilant, you will not be thankful.

 

I Corinthians 16:13 Watch ye, [be vigilant] stand fast in the faith, quit you [act] like men, be strong.

 

Nobody will ever stand fast in the faith unless they are vigilant. No one will ever be a strong man except he is vigilant. We need to be awake in order to stay alive.

 

I Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

 

9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

 

Watch and be sober is our absolute duty as believers, especially in this day and time.