On the Hunt
Keep your mind clear, and be alert. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion as he looks for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8 NOG, or the “Name of God” Translation)
The Best Strategy against Lions
In the natural, people can easily avoid being attacked by a lion. Just use common sense. Don’t enter a lion’s turf. Don’t ignore warning signs and invade the lions’ enclosure at the zoo. Or stroll on the African savannah at night. Lions are nocturnal. Their night vision is 6x more sensitive to light than ours and they are apex predators, often attacking beasts much bigger than they are. When chasing prey, lionesses can run 50 mph (80 kmph) in short bursts and leap up to 36 feet (11 meters). They can climb trees and the larger males weigh 400 pounds (181 kg). Finally, as wild animals they are unpredictable.
So don’t be stupid.
We aren’t their natural prey, so many times a pride of lions and lionesses in the wild will just lazily regard a nearby human. But the danger is real.
“Don’t poke the lion with a sharp stick” has always been good advice.
But in the spiritual realm, our situation is very different.
The Devil’s Prey
As Christians, we have an enemy. The apostle Peter likens him to a roaring lion and the human race, made in God’s image, is his natural prey.
What can the Devil do?
- Deceive Us. Any lie we believe will always harm us. Any sin we commit robs us of the good life Jesus means for us to have.
- Tempt us to Sin. Christians who give in to temptation always harm themselves, their families. and others.
- Manipulate our Emotions. Guilt, anxiety, anger, fear and bitterness are emotions which can rob us of the good life God wishes for us to have.
What can’t the Devil do?
- Cause us to Sin. Satan can’t cause us to lie, cheat, steal or commit adultery.
- Prevent us from making good Moral Choices. Despite all the demonic pressure, we still have free will. So we can decide to live a life pleasing to Jesus our Savior.
- Go beyond Divine Limits. Ignore the scary Hollywood movies. Satan’s greatest power is to trick unwary humans into adopting a sin-filled lifestyle which destroys them.
- Win against Determined Human Resistance. Check this Scripture out. Because the promise here is startling. We can defeat the Devil.
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7 NIV)
So what’s our greatest protection against the Devil’s threat?
Obedience.
Choosing to follow Christ’s commands, even when we don’t understand. Even when we don’t feel like it. Because He’s our greatest protection..
These two images came from Pixabay.com.
Resources:
Curious? Read the article, “How to Survive a Lion Attack” just in case you’re ever unlucky enough to face down a real lion.
Editor’s Note: A word about my two images. Yes, these kittens are sweet and adorable. But to the poor, unsuspecting mice, they are terrifying predators.
The story of Daniel in the Lion’s Den (Daniel 6) shows a servant of God who defeated every type of lion he faced, spiritual and physical.
