Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8).
We overlook this scripture. Most people won’t acknowledge that there even is a devil. This scripture is warning us to be sober. In other words, we are to pay attention and be on guard, because our adversary is trying to devour us.
An adversary is not on your side. It is against you. The devil is against you and everything that you stand for when it comes to being a Christian. We have gotten the attitude that what will be will be. When Adam and Eve sinned against God, this opened the door for Satan to walk in and become the ruler of this world.
Jesus told us three times that Satan is the prince of this world. In John 12:31, we read: “Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.” John 14:30 says: “Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.” And again in John 16:11, we read: “Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.”
Jesus defeated Satan at the cross. Until the final judgment that is coming, Satan is still active in the world. It doesn’t matter who or what stands in his way; he will destroy everything that he can. Christian or not, Satan is not your friend. He is a liar and a thief.
Satan and his demons are roaming the earth this very day, doing what they can to undermine Christians. How? When churches and ministries begin to conform to this world, it opens the door for Satan to move in and distort what is being taught. Satan knows Scripture and goes to church, too.
Therefore, it is so important for us to keep Jesus the central focus of everything that we teach and preach. We are to revolve around Jesus, not Jesus around us. Our teachings need to line up with the Word of God. Our opinions, desires, and hopes need to be secondary. Churches are losing people because of their worldly ways.
There is too much focus on me, and not enough on Jesus. Why is there a spotlight on the preacher? It is, “Look at me; I am the one bringing the Word.” The spotlight is to be on Jesus, not man. There is a lack of self-respect as well. Look at the way the preacher and some of the congregation are dressed. Granted, God doesn’t look at our clothes, but that is not the point. We need to look and act different than the world. God wants us to look and act holy, not like the bum on the street.
Jesus said there would be a falling away in the latter days. Is it because of the way we act, or is it because we have allowed Satan to move in and take over? We need to surrender ourselves to the Holy Spirit and follow Him. Allow God to bring the Word to us as it is written.
Satan uses suffering to destroy us, by telling us that God doesn’t love or care about us. This is a lie from Hell. God does love and care about us. If God didn’t love or care about us, why did He send His So to die on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins? Scripture tells us that by Jesus’ stripes we are healed.
God has promised us that we can have eternal life with Him. When we falter in our faith, this allows Satan to move in and lie to us. Stand strong in your faith, no matter what may come your way. Resist with all your might and rely on the Holy Spirit to help you. Satan will devour us when we are fighting among ourselves. This is one of his favorite things to do. No matter what our differences may be, we need to stop the infighting. We are allowing Satan to not only destroy us, but he is laughing at us.
When we fight, we are weak. Shove Satan aside and allow the Holy Spirit to come and heal our differences. We don’t pray enough for one another. We need to pray for one another more each day, for God to guide and protect us. God is the ultimate lion tamer. We are the “give it to me now” generation. We was it now and we want it free, but nothing is free. Someone, somewhere paid for it.
Our salvation is not free. Jesus paid the price for our sins. A roaring lion is not to be messed with. It will eat you, so stop throwing meat at it. The more that we feed it, the more it will want. It is time that we begin to starve him. When we begin to starve him and act like true Christians, he will not be able to devour us. His roaring is not going to stop until Jesus comes and puts an end to it.
“Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world” (1 Peter 5:9). “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4). Through the Holy Spirit we can overcome evil, including sin. There are many trials that may come our way. This includes suffering, sorrow, and false teachings. Allow Jesus to come into your life. Ask Him to forgive you of your sins. Live a life that is pleasing to Him. Resist the devil in Jesus’ name and will flee from you.