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Get Ready To Go Lion Hunting


Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen (I Peter 5:8-11)

          My aunt grew up during World War II. She was trained as a plane spotter. It was her job to identify any planes that flew over her town, in case the Germans ever reached our shores. I was raised during the part of the Cold War in which children were taught what to do if the "air raid" warning went off, in case Russia dropped a nuclear bomb.  Several members of my sister's family are volunteer fire fighters or other emergency responders. A few are members of the military. 
          Practicing is part of self-control. You need to learn to resist and stand firm in the faith when you don't need  to, so that when you do need to, you don't have the added stress of trying to figure out how. It just happens. Practice is also part of being alert. Learn to recognize temptation for what it is. Find out how the devil works and keep watch.
          One of the most important ways you can prepare is by learning to recognize the devil and his tactics. One of those tactics is to quote scripture, with just a little twist, sometimes in the "fine print." To recognize him when he's doing this, you need to know the Scripture and to practice being obedient to it. That way an alarm will go off when he suggests that you obey your self rather than God - one of his deadliest tactics.

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