Author: Pastor Horton

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. “Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.” – 1 Peter 5:8-11

I can’t imagine traveling in an open air jeep on a safari, only to watch as a lion springs out in a murderous ambush upon its prey.  Lions are powerful and ferocious, but they are also sneaky.  Laying in wait for the right time to pounce is a tactic that has worked well for them.  When they are meandering out in the open they are far easier to spot as we recognize them as a clear danger.  

Just like a lion, the devil finds sneaky ways to fool believers. Look at a few of the Bible examples we find where God’s children have been subjected to a sneak attack by Satan. Adam and Eve were told they could be like God, so they ate the fruit. They were wrong. David thought no one would find out about his sin with Bathsheba. Now everyone knows. Peter didn’t think anyone knew he denied     Jesus. Jesus did. Abraham thought God needed help to give him a son. God didn’t. Sarah secretly laughed when she heard she would have a baby. God was watching her. 

Satan is still with us today! He still roams the earth searching for God’s children who can be easily deceived. The danger to our soul remains real. A favorite scheme of his is to make us doubt the Bible, so he places all kinds of difficulties in front of us like: “How do you know the Bible is really God’s Word?” “God must be really mean to send people to hell.” “All those miracles must have a practical explanation.”  And the list goes on.

However God is also still with us today and has overcome the devil!  He helps us to be alert and of sober mind, resisting Satan and his attacks while standing firm in the faith.  How does he help us?  He gives us faith through the lion-proof defense of his Word.  There we hear of our salvation in Jesus, and of the close and caring relationship God has with you.  He is our protector and will see us home to heaven.

God even helps us recognize and flee from Satan’s dangerous traps. Call on the Lord to show you when Satan is trying to mislead you. Go to God’s Word every day to learn how to fight against Satan’s lies and to become stronger in God’s Word. Don’t become like the unsuspecting antelope that heads toward the pond for a drink and is unexpectedly devoured by the crafty lion. Be ready for Satan’s attacks. They will come, but God can help you stand up against them. And when you do fall, remember what the apostle Peter wrote about how a victorious God helps you back up and encourages you, “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.”