Going Higher

THINK ON THESE THINGS

"Whatsoever things are true ... honest ... just... pure ... lovely ... of good report ...

Think on these things."(Philippians 4:8)

Take A Look: 1 Peter 5:5-11

I read a story recently by a writer who had some fun with a squirrel. The guy laughed till his sides ached. He was watching a frustrated squirrel trying to climb a metal pole that supported a bird feeder. The squirrel repeatedly got part way up, then slowly slid down the pole in a heap. In describing this incident the guy in question wrote: "What the squirrel did not know was, I had greased the pole!"

The writer of the article pointed out that "greasing the pole" is one of Satan's tactics to hinder believers in their spiritual climb. The 'grease' he often uses is our own pride, complacency, and self-sufficiency. How the devil must laugh.

If you carefully take a look at 1 Peter 5 and the verses listed above you will find a few things that help us continue going higher in God and not slide back:

1. Submitting to one another (v5)

2. Humbling ourselves before Almighty God (v6)

3. Casting all our care on our caring Lord (v7)

4. Disciplining ourselves and being watchful (v8)

These four attitudes and actions can enable us to resist Satan's attacks (v9), and allow God's grace to strengthen us and establish us in our faith (vl0). This means we become established at every point of our spiritual climb and our 'grip on God' cuts through 'Satan's grease'. The enemy is determined to keep us from making progress in our spiritual lives. With the Lord's help we can keep on climbing.

"Resist the enemy and he will flee from you!" (James 4:7)