READ: Eph. 6:10-19
Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion … Resist him, steadfast in the faith… – 1 Pet. 5:7-9
Accepting everything from the hand of the Lord is a matter of faith. This is different from resigning oneself to fate. Our God is our Father and He takes care of us. He gives us everything we need, including suffering. As a human being, you may be controlled by worries, but here, too, it comes down to faith. Realize that your Father in heaven takes care of you, and cast all your anxiety on him, as Peter says. This requires complete trust and a rock-solid faith. It also requires genuine humility and dependence. You cannot do it yourself.
Peter also calls us to be sober and vigilant so as not to lose our faith. This can happen if we expect salvation from ourselves or allow ourselves to be controlled by what the world offers us. An example is when Peter once refused to accept the suffering of Christ, and the Lord told him that Satan would demand control of him and the other disciples, to sift them like wheat (Luke 22:31). To be sober is to distinguish between good and evil. Do not get carried away with worldly thoughts and desires.
Being vigilant is being aware of your adversary. Be on guard that the devil is active, as has been the case since the fall, but especially now that he has been thrown down to earth by Christ (Rev. 12:12-13). He goes around trying to pull the church of Christ away, to make believers lose their faith. This happens through people who serve him.
With a firm faith that accepts Scripture as its armor (Eph. 6:10-19) and follows Christ, you can resist him, even if the church has to suffer all over the world.
Does awareness of the devil make you restless?
Singing: Hymn 34:4.