Greetings in Jesus’ wonderful name!

I am so thankful to be able to greet you today, and I am thankful that God has connected us for the advancement of His Kingdom. It is a great thing that God connects people, and I take it very seriously that God has brought us into your life and you into ours. For this reason, I want to express how thankful I am for you and for the role you play in this ministry as a partner. I never use the word “partner” lightly, for “partnership” is what we are doing together with God’s grace to see the trusted teaching of God’s Word go to the ends of the earth!

Just this week, I received a report from my team about where our various media outreaches are making an impact across the planet, and it is truly amazing to see how God is touching people all over the world. The statistics I saw, which represent precious people across the globe, left me amazed. Denise and I are thankful that God called and chose us, and we are thankful that He called and chose you to be a part of this as well. Together, we are a powerful team!

In this month’s letter, I want to write to you about something that has been on my heart lately. This week I am working on a new book about how sickness finds its way into people’s lives. As I’ve been writing, I’ve especially focused on Ephesians 4:27, which says, “Neither give place to the devil.” It is a relatively short verse, but there is so much to learn, and I believe it will be a blessing to you.

The term “place” originates from the Greek word topos, which signifies a distinct, defined geographical location. It evokes the sense of a territory, province, region, or zone and is the root of our modern English term topographical map. The implication is that the devil seeks to infiltrate every area and aspect of our lives — whether it be our finances, our marriage, our friendships, our career, our business ventures, or even our health. Whenever we disobey God’s instructions to us, we unwittingly create an “entry point” — a breach that allows the devil an opportunity to establish a stronghold. Therefore, Paul’s message is urgent and clear: “Neither give place to the devil.”

If you allow a “door” of your life ajar, even the slightest crack, the devil will slip through just as he maneuvered his way into the Garden of Eden at the dawn of time. That’s the very reason God commanded Adam in Genesis 2:15 to “keep” the Garden — a directive not just to maintain, but to vigilantly guard, to surround with care, and to protect. When God told Adam to “keep” the Garden, He was warning him to be wary, for the devil seeks a way in, and that is precisely why God tasked Adam to protect the Garden and to keep it secure. In the words of the New Testament, it was as though God was advising Adam, “Neither give place to the devil.”

The fact is, we are more than conquerors through Jesus Christ — so we don’t ever have to let the devil run all over us. First John 4:4 declares, “…Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” Yet Paul told us, “Neither give place to the devil.” Even though the greater one lives inside us, IF we give the enemy “place” by disobeying God’s instructions, he will find entrance into our lives through the “entry point” of disobedience and will attempt to wreak havoc as a result.

If the devil is looking for an “entry point” in our lives that could result in damaging circumstances and even in poor health — and if one of those entry points is disobedience  — then First Peter 5:8 is important for us to understand. The devil is looking for an “entry point” in our lives that could result in damaging circumstances, including poor health, and one of those entry points, as we’ve seen, is disobedience. In First Peter 5:8, Peter said, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”

Peter began this verse by saying, “Be sober.” The word “sober” is interpreted from the Greek word nepho, which means to be sober and not drunk. It pictures one who is free from alcoholic intoxication; free from the deliriums, delusions, and hallucinations that may accompany drunkenness;  or free of silly thinking and hence able to have presence of mind and clear judgment.

This word depicts someone who is in control rather than being controlled by urges, impulses, whims, and fluctuating emotions. It means to have one’s wits about him; to be rational as opposed to irrational; or to be free from a drunken state in which one drops his guard and is more likely to give way to foolish behavior, unreasonable conversations, and detrimental decisions. Simply, the word “sober” in this verse means to be serious-minded.

To give you a clearer picture of this word nepho, I will share five key verses in the New Testament where this word is used.

• In First Thessalonians 5:6, the apostle Paul used it to describe responsible living. He said, “Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.” Considering what “sober” means in the Greek, we could translate this verse, “Let us watch and think clearly, not like silly drunks who drop their guard and make foolish mistakes.”
• In First Thessalonians 5:8, Paul used this word nepho again when he said, “But let us, who are of the day, be sober….” This could actually be translated, “But let us, who are of the day, be clear and rational in our thinking.”
• In Second Timothy 4:5, Paul used the word nepho to urge Timothy to be level-headed. He said, “But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.” The phrase “watch thou” is from the Greek word nepho, and this verse would be better translated, “Keep your head on straight. Get a grip on yourself and think straight.”
• In First Peter 1:13, Peter wrote, “Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober….” Again, he used the Greek word nepho to urge his readers to be “sober” in every area of their lives. It could be interpreted, “Put away irresponsible and foolish thinking that leads to bad decisions.”

But there’s more to learn here. Peter wrote, “Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind ….” In Roman times, before a race, a runner would “gird up the loins” by grabbing the loose, dangly ends of his skirt and tucking them under his loin belt. If a runner allowed his skirt to dangle while he was running, it could get caught in his legs and hinder his race. So a good runner would tuck those loose ends under his loin belt so his legs could move freely. Thus, this verse means, “Grab all the dangling ends and loose places of your life — your distractions and everything that would hinder your race — and get them out of the way so you can run freely and attain your goal.”

• In First Peter 4:7, we find the word nepho again where Peter called each of us to responsible living in light of Christ’s soon return. It says, “But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.” That word “sober” is again interpreted from the Greek word nepho, which tells us the first part of this verse means, “Be free from the intoxications of life.” This is important, for when a person is intoxicated, he drops his guard and makes bad decisions — and bad things take place as a result.

All of these multiple uses of the Greek word nepho bring us back to First Peter 5:8 where Peter said, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” Throughout the New Testament, the word “sober” is used as a warning to get a grip on oneself, to think straight, and not to engage in foolish thinking. But then Peter added, “Be sober, be vigilant….”

The word “vigilant” tells us why we need to be sober-minded. The word “vigilant” is interpreted from the Greek word gregoreo, which means to arouse from sleep. It is the picture of someone who is awake, as opposed to someone who is drowsy, sleepy, or negligent — or one who is watchful, as opposed to careless and non-attentive. It implies giving strict attention to something or being cautious and on high alert. The best meaning of the word gregoreo is to put up one’s guard against a sinister outside force or enemy that is trying to get on the inside.

The Greek word gregoreo is used in 12 key verses throughout the New Testament.

• In Matthew 24:42, Jesus used the word gregoreo to describe the attitude we must have about His coming: “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.” The word “watch” is interpreted from the Greek word gregoreo — the same word translated “vigilant” in First Peter 5:8. Its use in Matthew would be better translated, “Therefore, be on your guard. Something’s going to happen. And if you’re not alert — if you’re not on your guard — it will take you by surprise.”
• In Matthew 24:43, Jesus also said, “But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched….” The word “watched” is also translated from gregoreo. That part of the verse could actually be translated, “If the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have been on guard.”
• In Matthew 25:13, after Jesus had taught the parable of the ten virgins, Jesus said, “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” The word “watch” is again gregoreo. A better translation of the word “watch” here would be, “Stay wide awake and alert, therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.”
• In Matthew 26:38, Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane when He said, “…My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.” Again, “watch” is translated from the Greek word gregoreo, and a better translation in the context of that verse would be, “Stay wide awake and alert — attentive — with Me.”
• In Mark 13:34, Jesus was commanding us to be ready for His return. He said, “For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch [gregoreo].” A better translation of the last part of that verse would be, He “commanded the porter to stay on guard and on alert, constantly watching.”
• In Mark 13:35 and 37, we again find the word gregoreo translated as the word “watch.” It says, “Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh….  And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.” In these verses, the word gregoreo also implies an attitude of watchfulness and vigilance and being alert and on guard. One expositor says it means to be on high alert.
• In Acts 20:31, we find the word gregoreo in Paul’s words to the Ephesian leaders. In that verse, Paul said, “Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.” The word “watch” is translated from the Greek word gregoreo. Within the full context of this verse, the idea carried by the word gregoreo is, “Therefore, be on your guard against outside enemy forces and be constantly vigilant and on high alert.”
• In First Corinthians 16:13, Paul said, “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.” The words “watch ye” are translated from the word gregoreo, and it could once again be translated, “Be constantly on alert and on your guard.”

The Greek term gregoreo conveys a persistent state of alertness or an acute awareness that highlights the potential for unexpected events to catch us off guard. This is exactly how Peter utilized the word in First Peter 5:8 when he exhorted believers to be “vigilant.” It’s a divine directive that underscores our duty to remain proactive and to ensure that the adversary finds no “entry point” in our lives. As the devil prowls and seeks to infiltrate and wreak havoc, our vigilance acts as a formidable barrier that thwarts his efforts to breach our defenses and disrupt our lives.

In First Peter 5:8, Peter continued, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”

The word “adversary” is translated from the very unique Greek word antidikos — and the usage of this word was well-established in the Greek culture of the First Century. It described a lawyer who argued in a court of law or a prosecuting attorney who argued vehemently against the accused. It also described an accuser or prosecutor who intended to bring a guilty charge against a person on the basis of information from past actions or deeds, similar to how a legal prosecutor brings formal charges against the accused based on some legal violation.

Think about the work of a prosecutor — a prosecutor prosecutes. But to do his job well, he can’t bring random charges against a person. Instead, he must have hard evidence against the accused. He has to have information about some past violation or evidence that some law has been broken. And with that information in hand, he can proceed to prosecute with the intention to take the violator down.

But to understand the word “adversary” — translated from the word antidikos — let’s look at four scriptural examples of this Greek word antidikos used in the New Testament.

• In Matthew 5:25, the word antidikos is used twice in one verse. Jesus said, “Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge….” Although the word is translated “adversary” here, a better translation of that verse might be: “Agree with the prosecutor quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the prosecutor deliver thee to the judge….”
• In Luke 12:58, Jesus said, “When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate….” Here we see that same Greek word antidikos. This verse could be translated, “When you go with your adversary, that is, the prosecutor who is bringing legal charges against you based on evidence of wrongdoing….”
• In Luke 18:3, Jesus said, “And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him [the judge], saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.” Here, the word “adversary” (antidikos) describes a ruthless prosecutor. We could read it this way: “And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, ‘Avenge me from the attacks of my adversary, who is ruthlessly trying to prosecute me and take me down.’”
• In First Peter 5:8, Peter said, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil….” Because the word antidikos is used in the Greek for the word “adversary,” it means this verse actually tells us to be sober and vigilant because your “adversary the devil, like a prosecuting attorney, is searching for some loophole in your life, some place of spiritual violation where you have broken a spiritual law. And like a prosecuting attorney, he will try to use that evidence to legally prosecute you and take you down.”

By using the Greek word antidikos, which is translated “adversary,” but which actually pictures a prosecuting attorney, Peter informed us that the devil, like a prosecuting attorney, searches for areas of violation in our lives — that is, areas where you have disobeyed or violated God’s instruction. He looks for any loophole that he can use to prosecute you and take you down.

Even though the Greater One lives in you and you are secure in Christ, the fact is that if you have violated a spiritual law, you’ve created an “entry point” through which the devil can access your life. That’s why it’s important to judge yourself “…that ye be not judged” (see Matthew 7:1; 1 Corinthians 11:31) and turn from any area of disobedience in your life. Repent and close the door so the adversary has no legal grounds to prosecute or attack your life.

Similar to the way disobedience at the dawn of time allowed malevolence to creep into the Garden of Eden, when a Christian fails to adhere to God’s instructions, it can usher in similar undesired outcomes. Of course, when we disobey God’s Word, such disobedience always results in negative consequences. But in addition to disobeying the Scripture, there are also times when believers disregard, disobey, and ignore specific words of instruction that the Holy Spirit has given them for their marriage, family, business, ministry, or future.

By disregarding, disobeying, and ignoring the Spirit’s specific instructions, we can fall into a precarious place where Satan finds us easy to attack. When we are persistently disobedient to instructions given to us, we come out from under God’s protection and can experience all kinds of disastrous things in our lives. But when we are willing and obedient, we are enabled to walk in God’s blessing.

If you are experiencing damaging things in your life, don’t automatically assume the devil is simply attacking you. First, pause and pray, asking the Lord to search your heart and mind to see if there are any areas in which you are walking in disobedience. If He shows you disobedience in your life, repent so that you slam the door on the devil and the curse. You will know in your heart if you are walking in disobedience, so be quick to acknowledge it and repent.

Repentance allows us to get back under God’s protection and causes all of those curses and negative things to stop. And when we get back on the right side of obedience, we will see God’s blessings begin to flow in our life again. In Isaiah 1:19, God declares, “If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land.”

The first word “if ” is a hypothetical particle, creating a situation of willingness and obedience before the blessing can be administered. To receive God’s blessing, we must first be “willing.” This is a Hebrew word meaning willing to consent or to be willing. And the word “obedient” means to hear and obey what has been spoken. Hence, the first part of obedience is hearing, and the second part is doing what we’ve been instructed to do.

If you are willing to consent to what God says and to be obedient in hearing and doing His Word, He promises, “…Ye shall eat the good of the land” (Isaiah 1:19). The word “eat” means to consume, to devour, to dine, to eat, or to feed. God says that you will feast on the good of the land as a result of your obedience.

Friend, this is a principle that applies to the whole Word of God. When you obey what it says, all kinds of good things will come on you and overtake you, but when you disobey God’s Word, you will receive bad things instead. The word “good” in Isaiah 1:19 describes that which is best or the best things. It is the term for bounty, goods, goodness, good things, or prosperity. If you live a life of obedience, you will experience the blessings of God. But if you disobey and refuse to do what He has said, the door to your life will be opened for all kinds of bad things to come rushing in.

As Moses said to the children of Israel more than 3,000 years ago, and what God is also saying to us today: “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live” (Deuteronomy 30:19). It always pays to obey. 

This is what was on my heart to share with you today!

As I close, I want to say that we are here to pray for you — if there is any special need on your heart that you feel needs agreement in prayer, please call us or send us an email. Just call 1-800-742-5593 or send your prayer request to prayer@renner.org. As soon as we hear from you, we will go to the Lord in prayer — and we really believe that Jesus will do exactly what needs to be done. And please pray for us, too, as we continue to push back darkness and take God’s Word to people all over the world who are crying out for it!

We love you and thank God for you!

We are your brother and sister, friends, and partners in Jesus,

Rick and Denise Renner
along with Paul, Philip, and Joel Renner and our entire ministry team