Pearls of the Word

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Your adversary, the devil

by Jean-Louis Coraboeuf

"Be sober [nepho], be vigilant, because your adversary [antidikos] the devil walks among us like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may desire" (1 Peter 5:8 Darby).

The Greek word anti-dikos means literally 'opposed to the justice' of God. As long as we remain in the justice of God the devil cannot touch us, for we are hidden in Christ and are under divine protection (John 10:28-30).

When we exercise our own justice, or when we lose trust in God, we leave the safety zone and become vulnerable. That is why the Apostle Peter asks us to be humble beneath God’s powerful hand (our Protector) and hand over to Him all our cares. That allows us to remain calm and moderate (meaning of nepho verb) in the face of our circumstances.