Stay Alert! Stay Alive!

For the past seven days I have been tired, exhausted.  It has been difficult for me to wake up on time and yet difficult to fall asleep at night.  This morning I slept through my alarm causing me to be late for work.  I am at work now on my lunch break as I type this and I am fighting sleep.  Have you ever been that tired?


When I was in the US Army, during training missions and then during Iraq deployment there were times we were forced to stay awake more than 24 hours.  Our non-commissioned officers and officers would tell us to stay awake for the enemy likes to attack when we are tired.


"STAY ALERT!  STAY ALIVE!" 


That was the motto during those long nights guarding our posts.


This past week as I have been exhausted physically and mentally, I noticed that is when the enemy of my soul-the devil-makes his move to attack me.  Filling my heads with thoughts that are contrary to the promises and blessings God has made and given to me, Satan uses my fatigued mind against me.  It is in our most tired state that we must remain vigil against these attacks.


Luke 21:36 states, "Keep alert at all times. And pray that you might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of Man (NLT)."


Jesus told his disciples this and then in the next chapter Jesus finds his disciples asleep instead of praying for Christ's upcoming trial. Jesus came down from his place of prayer to find his disciples fast asleep, and after waking them up said, "Why are you asleep?  Get up and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation (Luke 22:46, NLT)."


Satan knows when we are tired that we are more susceptible to temptations.  When we are not alert, when we are not vigil because we are weary from the trials of life, we are weary from all that we have to deal with, or we are just weary because we are not going to the Well of our souls for nourishment and replenishment regularly, that is when we are most vulnerable to attack from the enemy of our soul.


Just like in the military, soldiers are most vulnerable to an attack when they are tired, fatigued, and do not remain vigilant.


"Be on guard.  Stand firm in the faith.  Be courageous.  Be strong," (1 Corinthians 16:13, NLT).


Even when we are most tired, worn out from all that life has thrown at us, it is then we need to remain vigilant.  The enemy comes for you.  He waits when you think all of life is figured out, or when we are most tired.  Yet it is then we need to stand strong and continue praying at all times.  Ephesians 6:18 tells us to "Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion.  Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere (NLT)."


Are you tired today?  Pray.


Have you been tired?  Pray.


Are you feeling weak?  Pray.


Don't sleep.  Don't ignore the attacks.  Don't give in.


Pray.


Stay Alert! Stay Alive!