Five trade routes pass through the city of Sardis. The city was famous for carpet, wool, and dyed cloth products. Dyeing technique began from Sardis. The city of Sardis fell because of overconfidence and failure to watch a few times. Cyrus II, King of Persia, invaded Sardis in 547 BC. The Lydian king Croesus was behind a defensive citadel in the high-altitude of 1500 feet. Cyrus controlled the lower part of the city. Cyrus attacked the city to be repulsed again and again. Cyrus announced rewards for soldiers who would gain breakthroughs. A Lydian soldier dropped his helmet, climbed down the walls in a weak unguarded spot to retrieve it. Hydro Eades, the Persian soldier observed this and followed the Lydian soldier and other Cyrus’s soldiers swarmed over the exposed wall and took the city.
The city failed to wake-up or rather be on alert. (Revelation 3: 1-6) Paul writes: “Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the Armor of light.” (Romans 13:11,12)
1. Aware: As believers, we ought to be aware of Satan’s vile strategies. (II Corinthians 2:11)
2. Awake: Our inner person should always be awake and be sensitive to the Spirit. (Song of Solomon 5:6) Samson slept on Delilah’s knees and did not realize the Spirit had left him as he defiled himself. (Judges 16:20)
3. Alert: Being alert means to be prepared to face attacks from the enemy. Five virgins were aware of the bridegroom’s arrival, were awake when the door was knocked, but were not alert. They failed to prepare for the occasion by having trimmed lamps and enough oil.
4. Agile: It means to move quickly. Manoeuvrability is the ability to move, change direction and have dexterity. In the vision, the living creature had such an ability. (Ezekiel 1:17)
Am I aware, awake, alert and agile to face all attacks of Satan?