Being Sober Minded

Keeping the Enemy Out, Part 1

[1Pet 5:8; 1Thess 5:6; 1Thess 5:8; 2Tim 4:5; 1Pet 1:13; 1Pet 4:7]

There is an enemy trying to penetrate your life, but you can build a strong barricade to keep those evil forces on the outside. This Bible study will give you practical steps for Using the Word of God For a Victorious Life. Keep the devil out of your head, house, health, and your finances.

Being Sober Minded Will Keep You From Being Devoured.

In First Peter 5:8, Peter describes the activity of the devil as he tries to get into our lives. At the time this verse was written, the apostle Peter was an old man, and he was writing to share common-sense advice to the people of God about how to live. He said,

1Pet 5:8 (NASB) –Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

When you see the word “devour” in this verse, you probably visualize a lion devouring the meat of an animal that he has already killed. But the Greek word for “devour” is from the root word pino, which actually means to drink.

So this is the picture of a lion hovering over the carcass of a dead beast, but the meat is already gone. And the lion is licking up the remaining liquid. Peter used this word to tell us what the devil wants to do to us. He wants to mess us up, and take us down — totally consume us until there’s nothing left.

Any pastor could tell you that they have seen lives that were devoured by the devil. Very often, those things happened because a believer left a door open for the devil to get into their life. This is so serious, and the potential for destruction is so real, that Peter began this verse by saying, “Be sober.”

In the context of a satanic attack, what does that mean? The word “sober” is from the Greek word nepho, which means many things:

• to be sober or not drunk

• to be free from the deliriums, delusions, and hallucinations that may accompany drunkenness

• to think straight and not like a clumsy drunk

• to be free of stupid thinking, therefore able to have presence of mind, and clear judgment

• being in control, rather than being controlled by urges, impulses, whims, and fluctuating emotions

• to have your wits about yourself

• to be able to guard the spirit, and not to give way to foolish behavior, meaningless conversations, and detrimental decisions

Simply, the word “sober” in this verse means to be serious-minded.

Let’s look at five more key verses in the New Testament where this word nepho is used (see, 1Thess 5:6,8; 2Tim 4:5; 1Pet 1:13; 4:7).

1Thess 5:6 (NASB) –so then, let’s not sleep as others do, but let’s be alert and sober.

In First Thessalonians 5:6, Paul used nepho to describe responsible living in light of the Lord’s coming. He said, “Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.” Considering what “sober” means in the Greek, we could translate this verse, “Let us watch and think clearly, not like clumsy drunks who drop their guard and make foolish mistakes.”

Paul used this word again two verses later (1 Thessalonians 5:8) when he said,

1Thess 5:8 (NASB) –But since we are of the day, let’s be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.

This could actually be translated “But let us who are of the day, be clear and rational in our thinking.”

In Second Timothy 4:5, we find another use of this word as Paul urged Timothy to be very level-headed:

2Tim 4:5 (NASB) –But as for you, use self-restraint in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

KJV – “But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.” That phrase “watch thou” is from the Greek word nepho, and that verse would be better translated, “Keep your head on straight. Get a grip on yourself and think straight, be steady.”

Although this verse was originally written to Timothy, Paul was prophesying that there would be a lot of nonsensical thinking in the last days, and we are actually seeing that today. Many people are irrational, and no longer thinking straight. They’re intoxicated by the spirit of the world. Their thinking is off course.

So for us, this verse means, “Don’t be affected by the spirit of the age. Don’t be intoxicated with the rest of the world. Be free of the spirit of the age — the wrong thinking and the deception that is in the world.”

Another use of nepho is in First Peter 1:13 which says,

1Pet 1:13 (KJV) –Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

To gird up the loins, a man would bend his knees a bit. and reach down between his legs and grab the back part of his robe at the ground. Then he would pull that up between his legs and tuck it into his girdle or belt. This allowed him to run or work without getting tangled up in his robe. Peter is saying here, that you need to prepare your mind for action. This is talking about “to be ready, or make ready,” with your mind and affections, gird up. Today we might say, “You need to use your head!” Think! Get your head out of the sand and take action!

Be sober: This Greek verb be calls for definite decision, to begin to do this now and don’t just try! The word sober, is Gk. nepho (nay’-fo) is to abstain from wine. “Keep sober in spirit,” also means to be self-controlled, watchful. Don’t ever surrender your hope in the promised salvation!

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, in this verse, is talking about His return, what we call the rapture.

A good runner would tuck those loose ends under his loin belt, so his legs could move freely. This verse is saying, “Grab all the dangling ends of your life — all your loose places, your distractions, and everything that would hinder your race — and get them out of the way so you can run freely and attain your goal.”

Then First Peter 1:13 continues, “Be sober.” The word “sober” could be translated this way: “Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind and put away irresponsible and foolish thinking that leads to bad decisions. Think straight — not like a clumsy drunk.” Really, this verse is calling us to responsible living. Why? Because the Lord is coming again, and we have a race to run before He returns.

First Peter 4:7 is also a call to responsible living in light of Christ’s soon return. It says,

1Pet 4:7 (NKJV) –But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.

KJV says, “But the end of all things is at hand. Be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.” That word “sober” is again the Greek word nepho, and the first part of this verse could be translated like this: “Be free from the intoxication of the world.” Why? Because when a person becomes intoxicated, he drops his guard. It becomes a time of fun that leads to foolishness. He makes bad decisions, and bad things happen.

This brings us back to our main verse in First Peter 5:8, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour.” Throughout the New Testament — especially in Paul’s and Peter’s writings — the word “sober” is primarily used as a warning to get a grip, and think straight, not like a silly drunk.

I Decree:

I choose to have presence of mind and clear judgment, being in control rather than being controlled by urges, impulses, whims, and fluctuating emotions. I am determined to keep sober in spirit, and to be serious-minded.

I control my thoughts, so that when things look hopeless, I am not distracted by bad news or panic in the world. I don’t lose hope. I gird up the loins of my mind by actively thinking on, anticipating, and being ready for the return of Jesus. I set my mind on a living hope and a sure salvation, and there is no room for the devil! I constantly set my mind on things above. I continually study God’s Word, and stay in fellowship with the Holy Spirit.

In the name of Jesus, amen!

God bless you my friend,

— Dwight Hammond