There is a sense in which a disciple is never ready for combat, no matter how hard he trains. After Jesus told Peter that Satan was going to “sift you like wheat,” the apostle replied, “Lord, with You I am ready to go both to prison and to death!” (Luke 22:33). Poor Peter! He stubbed his toes on the words “I am ready.”
And so will we, unless we realize that we are never quite ready for Satan, sin, and evil. Peter’s readiness was pride and ignorance. If he really had been ready, there would have been no need for Christ’s intercession for him (v. 32).
Quite often after we have come away from a fresh victory over temptation we say, “There! I’ve got Satan on the run now!” We feel confident, elated. That is the danger point because it weakens our resolve to be nothing and to trust Christ supremely. To be ready means: “I’ve got the victory; it’s nailed down for good.” This attitude is a surprising underselling of Satan. The only One who is ever ready for Satan is our Champion, Jesus Christ. We cannot give up one moment’s trust in Him without endangering ourselves.
The only kind of readiness the Bible commends me for is that of Paul: “I am … ready to be offered” (2 Timothy 4:6, KJV). As a disciple, I must be ready to pour out my life and my all for Jesus Christ my Lord. I must be ready to pour myself out in a libation of love and service for others. In matters such as these, I must be instantly ready, like a soldier on call day and night. Being “battle ready” means I must put on God’s armor, not mine; but being “service ready” means I must tolerate no hindrance to a complete pouring out of my all to Him who poured out His all for me. “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ” (2 Corinthians 2:14, KJV).
“Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10).
Daily with the King 