Forty Days of Proclamation: Sober-Minded

Monday, November 30

Forty Days of Proclamation: Sober-Minded

LeAnn Vance

“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8 NIV

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” I Peter 5:8 ESV

When 2020 began, I prayed for God to send me a word for 2020. In years past I had picked a word but half way through the year it would be lost in the hustle and bustle of my life. For 2020 I wanted a fun, fluffy word for the year because it was “going to be a great year”. I wanted an uplifting word. A word that would fill me with joy. Instead…..God delivered “to be sober minded”. For me that was a strong, complicated phrase. One that I wasn’t sure the place it was originating or in what reference it had on my life at the time. But God placed it on my heart so dramatically and in a way that it was a constant thought.

I have always read the word “sober” in the Bible to mean “not drunk”. After all, isn’t that what first comes to mind in today’s society? Isn’t that maybe what you thought today’s post would be discussing? But the word sober takes on several meanings—For instance in the book of Titus, “sober” is mentioned four times in chapters 1 and 2 and has four separate meanings. Here is how sober minded can be defined: you are of sound mind; safe; stable; self controlled; calm; collected. As life in 2020 abruptly changed in March, I began to realize why God placed this word/phrase on my heart so intently.

I included two versions of 1 Peter 5:8 today because I love both the words “alert” and “watchful” and think they are so important for this time we are living. When researching my word one writer says that “those who are sober minded will be alert to the need to pray and take the occasion to pray at opportune times”. Have you found yourself praying more this year with all the uncertainty and discourse in the world? I certainly have! We also need to be watchful and recognize when the enemy is trying to trip us up and devour us. The verse states that the devil seeks someone—anyone. That’s me. And you. There’s no discrimination with who he is looking to devour.

How many of you, like me, let your watchful guard down at some point in 2020? How many of you have felt you have been devoured—or even semi devoured this year? My family has been blessed overall with health thus far during the pandemic but the anxiety of the unknown has been ever present. My job in advertising relies on businesses to be open and operating. My older son began his high school senior year and his hope for the next step in life has totally been thrown a curve ball due to Covid. I know God gave me this specific word instead of one of its synonyms because he wanted me to dive more into his instructions of being alert and watchful during this time. I would have never researched one of those pretty words as I have the more complicated one that He saw fit to give me!

In Annie McGuire’s February 2018 dailyhisdisciple.com post, she writes that “God desires for each one of His daughters to be sober, spirit filled, strong and stable women. He wants us to be ruled by and reveal His truth so we can make disciples and bring Him Glory”. She also listed six steps to a sober mind. I encourage you to find it and read it in more detail but here is her list:

1—Take a Time Out (Prov 16:32)

2—Take Every Thought Captive (2 Cor 10:5)

3—Take it to the Word

4—Tap out of the Fright (Eph 6:12)

5—Tap into the Force (Rom 8:11, Eph 6:10)

6—Talk it out with God (1 Thel 5:17, 1 Peter 5:7)

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the words you place on our hearts—the ones that are easy to understand and the ones that take us deeper into your Word and deeper into their meanings. We ask that as we end 2020 that you will keep us ever watchful and alert to the enemy that surrounds us, waiting to devour us. We ask that you cast out all the fear that has engulfed us this year where we can go into the season of your son’s birth with a feeling of peace and safety. Place before us opportunities of discipleship to spread the joy of the Holy Spirit to those less fortunate than ourselves. Create in every woman reading this a sober mind.” Amen

1 Cor 15:34, Galatians 5:22, Acts 15:32, Romans 14:17, Romans 13:12-14