I have a pretty serious weather app on my phone. While you can use it to get a variety of maps and track all kinds of storms, the thing I love most is the way it alerts me if severe weather is coming. You can set static locations, like home and work, and any time a storm is moving toward those locations, I get an alert. But it also has a “follow me” feature which will alert you to severe weather when it is moving toward your current location no matter where you are.
What is the alert? Glad you asked. It’s a truly obnoxious sound that’s impossible to ignore – just the way I like it. That means my days of staying up all night watching for any approaching tornadoes are over. I know that my phone is going to scare me half to death at 3 am if I need to know something dangerous is coming our way.
This app helps me live in a more alert fashion to my physical environment. Similarly, Christians need to be alert to our spiritual environment.
We cannot muddle our way through life. Instead, we must live with a greater sense of awareness of what God is doing in the world. Here, then, are three reasons Christians need to be alert.
Christians Need to Be Alert Because Jesus is Coming Back
This is a really real thing. It could be today. Like, now. Maybe now. Or now. Could be tomorrow. That’s kind of the point.
After a series of parables, all centering on the return of Jesus and the proper and improper ways to prepare, Jesus summarized it like this:
Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. - Matthew 24:42
It’s a little like coming home from work everyday. Though they don’t do it as often as they used to, occasionally I am greeted by the sound of my kids yelling to welcome me home when I come in the door. They didn’t know exactly what time I was coming, but they knew I was.
Maybe they heard the car pull into the driveway or garage door open. They were alert to the signs of my inevitable return home. In the same way, we live with an uncertain confidence in Jesus’ return. We are confident that it’s happening, but not confident as to when.
We should not spend our hours trying to calculate or make predictions around the exact time, but rather live constantly with a sense of alertness of His return.
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Christians Need to Be Alert Because Opportunities are All Around Us
We must also stay alert because of the opportunities around us to share God’s love with others. In the book of Ephesians, Paul lays out the rationale behind this. First, in Ephesians 2:8-10, he reminds us that we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, but he goes on to help us see that this faith is active:
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. - Ephesians 2:10
God has saved us, but He has also intentionally planned good works for us and placed them in
our path. These are good works we are to walk in! We need to recognize the opportunity through the Holy Spirit, and then do what the love of Jesus compels us to do day in and day out.
That’s the heart behind a verse later in Ephesians:
Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. - Ephesians 5:15-16
As you go through your day, be aware of where and how the Holy Spirit may be leading you. Unless you are alert, you may miss the opportunities right in front of you to love others and share the hope of the Gospel with those around you.
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Christians Need to Be Alert Because We Have the Tendency to Drift
We must, as Christians, be alert because Jesus is coming back. And we must be alert because of the opportunities God has put in our path. We must also be alert because we know our own hearts, and unless we are alert, we will always tend to drift from Jesus:
We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. - Hebrews 2:1
No one drifts toward Jesus. Instead, like a boat not anchored in the middle of the sea, we will always move from our original position. We need to actively and alertly fight against our tendency to drift.
Bible Verses to Stay Alert
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. - Ephesians 6:18
This verse in Ephesians 6:18 reminds us about the importance of being alert in the Bible. If you’re wondering how to stay alert as a Christian, the answer is simple: pray! Being alert in the spirit means being a person of prayer, always partnering with God’s heart.
But why do we need to be alert at all times? While the physical realm is very real, the spiritual realm is even more real. As Christians, through the power of prayer, we have the power to shift things – spiritually and physically. That’s one of the reasons we pray the Lord’s prayer! We desire to see God’s kingdom “on earth, as it is in heaven”.
Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. -1 Corinthians 16:13
Sometimes being alert in the Bible is the encouragement to “stand”. Through prayer and worship, we can build our faith and increase our courage. These are simple ways to “stand”! You can also be alert in the spirit by getting on the offensive, praying Bible verses over your friends and family, and singing songs of worship to honor the Lord for His faithfulness.
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. - 1 Peter 5:8-9
These Bible verses about being prepared are clear. We must stand firm on the truth of God’s Word. We need to remain unwavering in our love for God and our love for our neighbors.
Do not get consumed by things in this world that will cause us to stop loving our neighbor. Do not get distracted by temptations to compromise our love for God and His Word. Be alert.
Ways to stay alert
When trying to stay alert, Bible study is a great place to start. God’s Word keeps us grounded in His Truth. Spend time studying what the Bible says about being alert.
Stay alert through prayer. Spending time in the presence of God keeps our eyes fixed on Him. Find regular time each day to be quiet with Him, but also pray continuously throughout the day.
Spend time with other believers and help each other stay accountable. When you have authentic relationships with other Christians, you can encourage each other when one grows weary.
Pros of Staying Spiritually Alert
What does the Bible say about being alert? Are there even benefits of staying spiritually alert? Won’t our minds just focus on the bad things rather than the good things of God? Not in the slightest! As we learn to stay alert, the Bible comes alive, we start seeing God in new ways, and more!
- We Experience a Deeper Connection with God: For those in the Bible who stayed alert, they had a closer connection with God. Psalm 25:14 even says that the Lord confides in those who fear (which means respect) Him! Through continued prayer, worship, and relationship with God as we stay alert, Bible stories come alive and we begin to see things from God’s perspective.
- Strength to Resist Temptation: As we learned through our Bible verses about being prepared and our Bible verses about being ready, prayer and connection with God are a stronghold against the enemy. When we’re connected to God, it’s easier for us to resist temptation. When we’ve read our Bible and we’ve stayed consistent in prayer, it’s easier for us to laugh at temptation, rather than give in to it!
- We Change the World with Jesus: When we’re spiritually alert, we’re actively trying to make the world a better place through prayer and action: just like Jesus! Renew your mind with be alert Bible verses throughout your week to encourage good works, faithfulness, and a life of prayer!
Conclusion
Be alert. Pay attention. Be wise. Know that Jesus is coming back, that opportunities are all around us, and fight against the tendency to drift.
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