"Let Us Be Sober Minded in This Hour!"

The Church needs to be sober-minded about what is going on in the world around us. As chaos unfolds in our cities, we can be tempted to either minimize the reality or maximize the fear. Either way of thinking is dangerous. We are to be sober-minded, alert, and prayerful.

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." (1 Peter 5:8)

Sober Minded: Aligning Your Thoughts with God's

Let us take a sober assessment of the facts. Receiving bad data plants seeds of fear and doubt in our minds. However, if we take the time to uncover the facts, we can align our thoughts with God's Word.

"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things." (Philippians 4:8)

It has become evident, by several resources, that the information released about the severity of the coronavirus, for example, is not as dangerous as we were led to believe. It is information such as this that Believers must analyze through the promises of God's Word if we are going to fight the enemy who is looking to devour us.

Being Sober Minded Through the Attacks

You know the armor of God described in Ephesians 6. The apostle Paul makes it clear that we are not warring against flesh and blood, but against evil principalities and rulers of darkness (Ephesians 6:12). These principalities and evil forces are seeking to destroy our communities and families. We have to understand this: To be victorious warriors, we must battle in the spirit.

"But seek first  The Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." (Matthew 6:33)

This means that you need to seek Christ's righteousness, be washed by His Blood, and seek answers from the Lord. As we know, the enemy is prowling. If he can silence God's voice in your life by, he is on his way to gaining a foothold. He gains access that leads to destruction in your family. This is why the Church needs to be sober-minded and battling in the spirit through fervent prayer!

• Corporate worship helps us be sober-minded.

As Believers, we are called to gather the name of our Savior and Lord JESUS CHRIST. It is through this gathering that the wisdom of God is revealed, and emotional wounds are healed. When we fail to meet, we are at risk of getting lost in our thoughts of oppression, depression, and separation. Corporate worship is the hospital that heals the soul and spirit, encouraging us to be sober-minded.

• Corporate worship fosters wisdom.

"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." (Colossians 3:15-16)

• Corporate worship welcomes the Spirit of God.

"For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20)

• Corporate worship delivers us from oppressive spirits.

"[S]peaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Ephesians 5:19-20)

• Being sober-minded and repentant.

As we come together for corporate worship, we must be sober-minded and repent, fulfilling 2 Chronicles 7:14, "If My people who are called by My name, will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land."

• Being sober-minded and responsible.

As Believers who choose to be sober-minded and aware of the enemy's schemes, we must ask ourselves if we are being responsible with the knowledge, wisdom, and understanding in the Lord. Because the truth is, most Christians today...

•   Only have a basic understanding of the Bible

•   Do not study or meditate on the Word daily

• Have an incorrect or incomplete understanding of God's redemptive plan and His full Plan

•  Cannot defend their faith against attacks or false claims

•  Are not living out their faith and feel defeated in life

•  Feel uncomfortable sharing their faith

It is time for the Church to rise up because satan is using these exact deficits to accuse you day and night. He is using the orphan and a poverty spirit within the Church to accomplish his goal. 

What is satan's goal with these attacks?

The Bible clearly tells us satan's goal. Satan's goal is to gain access and a legal right to mark you and your loved ones for an eternity of spiritual death—Hell.

"He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name." (Revelation 13:16-17)

God warns those who choose the mark. He tells them what they can expect—torment.

"And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name." (Revelation 14:11)

What is satan after with these attacks? God's children.

• Being sober-minded and hopeful.

Your hope is in the Blood of the Lamb and the word of your testimony. To be sober-minded means testing the spirits. There will be false prophets who teach false doctrine. For your family, you must be in a corporate worship atmosphere that teaches the Blood of Yeshua and the power of the Word.

"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this, you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world." (1 John 4:1-3)

• Be sober-minded about the mandate to love the Lord and your neighbor.

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this, the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." (1 John 4:7-11)