October 6, 2024 Devo

I was watching a video of a bike race on YouTube a while back. A racer, who was way ahead of the pack, got caught up in celebrating a bit too early. As he rode the last 50 yards or so, he thrust his arms up in the air and pumped his fists as the crowd cheered. But suddenly he lost his balance, his bike swerved, and he crashed to the road. As he gathered himself to get up, the man who was in second caught up and passed him. It was a painful loss that I’m sure haunted him for years to come. It was a case in which pride literally did come before the fall.
Take a look at our passage today. Notice that even though Jesus overcame the Enemy in His time of temptation, it wasn’t the end of the war. The Devil wasn’t going to be gone forever. “He left him until the next opportunity came.” Jesus had every right to feel good about winning this round, but it was a celebration with a realization: The Devil WILL be back!
The reason this is important is that it’s easy for us to become a little bit like the biker who lost his balance. We notch a victory. We win a battle. Maybe we even overcome a temptation that is really pulling at us. It’s exhilarating. It’s exciting. At times, it can be downright intoxicating. And truthfully, there’s nothing wrong with celebrating the win and thanking God for the victory. But make sure there’s a realization with the celebration. The Devil WILL be back.
We always have to remember that this is a war, not just a battle. We may push back on the Enemy and gain some ground one day, but he never goes far away. He watches. He waits. And when we least expect it, he attacks again. We have to be prepared. A win is a win, and if you’ve recently had a win over the Enemy, I’m excited and thankful for you. Just don’t celebrate too soon or too long. Because while you’re celebrating, the Enemy is plotting. So enjoy the moment, praise God for His Faithfulness, and get yourself ready. The Devil will be back. That’s God’s Word for you today.