Text: Matthew 26: 36 – 46
Matthew 26:41: Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak
2 Samuel 20: 4-10
Psalm 55: 11-14
Unguarded moment is a time when you are not paying attention to what you are doing or saying
Unguarded Moments sensitizes the Christian on the mistakes that could ruin our testimonies.
Everybody is prone to errors, and errors are more likely to occur when we lose guard
The dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty…Psalm 74:20
By grace, believers in Christ are redeemed and are seated in the heavenly places, far above principalities and powers. That is a position of power and authority over the devil and all the works of darkness. It is the position where Christ himself is seated, as He exercises dominion over all of creation.
One of the strategies of the enemy is to pull us down from that exalted position of fellowship with Christ. Every time he succeeds in this mission, victors become victims in the battles of life.
Life is a battle and everything that is given a foothold grows. But we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against spiritual wickedness in the high places (Ephesians 6:12). They do nothing but practice wickedness continually.
Scripture depicts Christians as soldiers on a battlefront set apart for special combat in active service.
We fight battles with single-minded determination to defeat those powers set on blocking our inheritance of God’s promises for us in this life and the eternal kingdom (2 Peter 1:5-10); but these forces are no humans. I wish they were humans who sleep, take vacations, or get distracted. Unfortunately, we often are ignorant of their devices. Those times we are unaware and distracted are unguarded moments. And were it not for the grace of God, many of us long would have been consumed. May we not become victims because of distractions in the battlefield.
Soldiers who stand guard remain vigilant because they understand the stakes. They carefully study and evaluate the modus operandi of the enemy forces.
When situations arise, and casualties emerge, the soldiers rally to save their colleagues. They risk their lives in the face of danger to protect their territories. They are fully aware of the risks involved and they ready themselves for the call of duty even to the point of death (Revelation 12:11).
That is serious business and the kind of training we need and expect when we go to Christian gatherings: church services, Bible studies, and revival or camp meetings. As soon as we leave the church premises and step into the community, the mission field begins and so does the battle field.
As a country invests in her soldiers and provides them with the most sophisticated and advanced weaponry, so God has equipped Christians with all we need to overcome.
The stakes are high, and God will not leave us ill-equipped. And if a soldier refuses to put on the whole armor that government has provided for him, he exposes himself to serious consequences. That is why Paul admonishes in Ephesians chapter 6 about the need for us to take up and put on the whole armor of God.
Moreover, God has blessed us with twenty-four hours a day, loaded with sixty minutes per hour and sixty seconds per minute.
Our hearts do not cease to beat for a second, and if they do, catastrophe happens. Science has not been able to figure out how to make the heart beat again once the natural electricity supply is cut off; and we call it death. To live, we need our heart to faithfully beat every second. So we need God every second to live. If God watches over us by the seconds, then we need to be vigilant each second as well.
People have died for mistakes made in splits of seconds (UNGUARDED MOMENT).
If anybody mistakenly but momentarily touches a naked wire connected to the mains, disaster could happen In the business of life, as in safety, time is of the essence. That is why we need to watch out for the unguarded moment.
When we are in the midst of foes, we don’t sleep. Our lives and safety depend on our watchfulness.
Christian seek not yet repose
Cast thy dream of ease away
Thou art in the midst of foes
Watch and pray
Eternal vigilance can keep us from evil. That’s why scripture admonishes us to watch and pray continuously (Luke 21:36). Watching refers to our spiritual eyes that need to be enlightened. Our enemy the devil goes about like a roaring lion seeking whom to devour (1 Peter 5:8), but our weapons of warfare are not carnal. We need this spiritual consciousness, not so as to fear him, but so that we are not taken unawares. We should guard ourselves like soldiers, and fight.
The agents of the devil disguise themselves as agents of light (2 Corinthians 11:14).
It takes a watchful consciousness to identify them at face value. What is it that we think doesn’t matter? That others are doing it does not mean we should.
When we hear Him say to us Don’t touch! our duty is to obey. In the days of John the Baptist, as in the days of Samson, not many people were Nazarites, of whom it was said that no razor should touch their hairs. It is required of stewards that men are found faithful (1Corinthians 4:1-2). The instructions and commandments of God are for our benefit, and it is a privilege to be called a child of God.
What we do is important and has consequences. Certain actions we take are not sin, yet they come with prices. It may simply be an oversight of ethics. Whether or not I know that I am allergic to penicillin, I will experience the negative reactions if I ingest penicillin or its derivative. In an unguarded moment, I may or may not know the consequences of my actions; so it is unguarded. The challenge is to do what we have to do to stay guarded.
Do people deliberately backslide? Why is it called backsliding instead of backfalling? It usually doesn’t happen like lightening, and does not follow the all-or-nothing rule. It is done a step at a time, sometimes unconsciously and unnoticed. Before long, we begin to reason with the devil like Eve did. If Christ and God’s grace are taken out of the picture, the devil is smarter than we are. Did Eve intend to disobey God from the start? The tempter stood at a distance, watching for her unguarded moment, and he came at the right time.
Watch out for moments of isolation. Those are very ripe times for the tempter because it is easy to get distracted and be caught unguarded.
Some people are married, yet are lonely. Husbands and wives, watch out for it! The devil is wrecking homes because we are unguarded on the home front.
The multiple effects are seen in the larger society, evidenced in the number of divorce and suicide cases even among Christians. It is alarming and very worrisome.
We need to stay in the place of prayer and in communion with the Spirit of God. When we feel like the Spirit of God is at arm’s length, we need to declare a fast, call a solemn assembly, seek Him diligently, and invite Him to take His rightful place in our lives, businesses and affairs. Our salvation is now nearer than when we first believed, and we must do our very best to guard this salvation that was once and for all delivered to us free, yet at a huge price.
Christ died so that we can live. He was poor so that we can be rich, and He was bruised for our transgression. If we continue to transgress, then we crucify Him a second time (Hebrews 6:6).
Live life and be victorious in the battles of life. Christ died young so we are not permitted to die unfulfilled. We will spend eternity in heaven so why be in a hurry to leave when we have not finished our assignments here.
The devil and his agents have numerous strategies but those who know their God shall be strong and do exploits (Daniel 11:32). When men sleep, the enemy comes and sows weeds (Matthew 13:25). Thank God for His grace that is sufficient for us. We can live lives worthy of our repentance (Luke 13:3; Acts 26:20).
Believers in Christ, who are redeemed by the blood of Jesus, have a life to live now on earth and a life in the eternal kingdom.
Salvation guarantees eternal life, but unguarded moments rob us, not just of eternal life, but also of the benefits that are available for us here on earth.
It is the will of God for us to live like kings and princes, unguarded moments make us live like beggars and paupers. God has provided for us to be victors, unguarded moments make us victims in the battles of life.
There is a way that seems right to a man, but it leads only to destruction. A field that is left fallow grows weeds, a moment that is left unguarded leads to errors. One error can terminate your life or truncate your destiny. Beware!
Romans 6:14
UNGUARDED MOMENTS
Scripture: 1 KINGS 15:5
This morning think about the unguarded moments of your life
EPHESIANS 6:10-18
PRAYER
We need You, Father, to guard and protect us. There are dangers around us physical and spiritual that we simply cannot, on our own, always be alert and on guard against. Keep us from sin. Provide a way out when temptation seeks to ensnare us. But also protect us from slander and lies.
Guard us against anything that might prevent us from being an active and effective ambassador for You.
Bring to our awareness those daggers that we might see but do not truly recognize. As Your children, we long to be known as people of integrity.
Help us to never fall prey to that one unguarded moment. In Jesus mighty name we pray. Amen
The Revd Olalekan Olomola is the Coordinator of Methodist Campus Fellowship in the Conference Area
He can reached on +234 815 201 3583
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