Episode Overview

Title: Don’t Be a Sleeping Chicken – Know God & Resist! Part 1
Host: Pastor Craig Field
Podcast: Promise of Life Church Podcasts
Date: February 3, 2026
Theme:
Pastor Craig delivers a vivid spiritual warning to believers: don’t let spiritual complacency make you vulnerable to the devil’s schemes. Drawing from a memorable personal story (catching chickens in a warehouse), Pastor Craig explores the dangers of spiritual “sleepiness,” the importance of vigilance, and the biblical mandate to know God and actively resist the adversary.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Chicken Catching Story: A Parable of Spiritual Slumber

• [01:40–18:00]

  • Pastor Craig recounts a humorous and humbling experience as a young Bible school student hired for one night as a professional chicken catcher.
  • The job required stealth, as thousands of sleeping chickens needed to be caught without awakening the entire flock—otherwise, chaos would ensue.
  • He ultimately mastered the technique: “the smooth scoop,” as he called it. Despite the filth and exhaustion, he earned his hard-earned pay and declined a full-time offer.

  “The Lord reminded me about that story and he took me back to that evening, that night… He said, ‘My church are just like those chickens. They’re sleeping. They’re all cozy.’”
  — Pastor Craig Field [17:46]

  • Key Analogy:
    • Sleeping chickens represent complacent, unaware Christians.
    • The chicken catcher (Pastor Craig in the story) symbolizes the adversary (the devil) who moves quietly and cunningly to turn lives “upside down” while they’re spiritually asleep.

2. A Warning from God: Don’t Be Spiritually Asleep

• [18:00–22:00]

  • Pastor Craig urges his congregation not to be lulled into a state of spiritual coziness or lethargy where the enemy can strike.
  • The devil is described not as powerful, but as crafty, relying on our inattention to cause harm.
  • Many Christians drift through “life as usual,” growing spiritually dull and ignoring small issues until those issues escalate suddenly.

  “If you’re not careful, the devil is on the prowl… He knows how to turn your life upside down in the moment of a moment while you stay sleeping.”
  — Pastor Craig Field [20:20]

  • Dangers arise not from what is obvious, but from what is ignored: “You don’t want to get in the box to begin with, because once you’re in the box, it’s going to be much harder to escape.”

3. The Biblical Mandate: Be Sober, Be Vigilant, Resist

• [22:00–27:30]

  • Scripture: 1 Peter 5:8
    • “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”
    • Pastor Craig explains that “be sober” in Greek refers literally to abstaining from wine—to be undulled in every sense, ready and alert.
    • “Vigilant” means “stay awake, watchful.” Like the chickens, if you’re not awake, you’re an easy target.

  “Don’t get into a lulled state of dulled senses… There is a fox in the hen house, there is a lion on the prowl. We are not afraid of him—he’s a defeated foe. But if you’re sleeping… he can do something.”
  — Pastor Craig Field [25:15]

  • Resisting the Devil:
    • "Resist steadfast in the faith."
    • To resist (Greek: to oppose/withstand/stand against) requires effort, intentionality, the use of your words, and faith.

  “If you’re not speaking on a regular basis, you’re not resisting.”
  — Pastor Craig Field [27:27]

4. Knowing God: The Foundation for Strength and Spiritual Action

• [27:30–end]

  • Scripture: Daniel 11:32
    • “But the people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits.”
  • Knowing God isn’t just intellectual; it’s personal, relational, and transformative. Those who truly know Him can remain strong and accomplish great things—even in spiritual battle.
  • Pastor Craig shares that God highlighted this scripture to him personally as one of the most important truths in the Word.

  “The people that do know their God—shall be strong and shall do exploits. Everything ultimately comes down to knowing Him.”
  — Pastor Craig Field [28:26]

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On the subtlety of spiritual threat:

  “He will turn your life upside down while you’re still sleeping. He’ll put you in prison and he’ll send you to the slaughterhouse.”
  — [16:32]

• On the need for vigilance:

  “We can get so lethargic about… ‘Yeah, I go to church. Yeah, I love Jesus. Yeah, I pray a little bit. Yeah, I know the Word a little bit.’… before you know it, your life’s upside down.”
  — [20:16]

• On resisting spiritually:

  “Resisting takes effort. Resisting takes skill. Resisting takes words. Resisting takes faith.”
  — [27:20]

Key Timestamps

• 01:40 — Chicken catching story begins (lighthearted, detailed account)
• 17:46 — God’s direct message: “My church are just like those chickens” (spiritual warning starts)
• 22:00 — Scriptural foundation: 1 Peter 5:8 (“Be sober, be vigilant…”)
• 25:15 — Deeper call to remain spiritually awake; analogies explored
• 27:30 — Daniel 11:32 introduced: Knowing God as resistance strategy
• 28:26 — Emphasis on knowing God as the root of strength and victory

Conclusion / Call to Action

Pastor Craig’s central message:

• Don’t live spiritually asleep or dulled by routine.
• Recognize the enemy’s cunning and refuse to be caught off guard.
• Stay spiritually awake (vigilant and sober), knowing God intimately, and actively resist the adversary with faith and words.

Visual Takeaway:
Next time you see a piece of chicken, remember not to be a “sleeping chicken”—wake up, stay alert, and live with spiritual authority!