Years ago we visited our county zoo for a lovely, relaxing afternoon. As we rounded the corner to the feline section, we were greeted by a huge male lion lunging persistently at the thick glass—the only thing keeping him from us and the anxious, watching crowd. This frustrated creature made attempt after attempt to break through the glass.
Everything about him made me nervous. He looked so mean, so restless, so ready to devour. After minutes of watching, my frightened toddler pleaded with me to leave. I shared her sentiment. I didn't trust that animal, and I certainly didn't trust the glass as I watched it sway repeatedly with each calculated strike. Afraid, we headed the other direction.
I have never gotten that lion out of my mind. Thinking about him always reminds me of 1 Peter 5:8 and 9a which says, "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith..."
I certainly don't blame everything bad that happens on Satan, as often our own sin and disobedience can come into play. But at the same time, we cannot deny that the Enemy always seeks to take advantage of a difficult situation, making it worse. In fact, the hotter the spiritual environment we're in, the more intense the opposition, and I believe this ministry is in a hot environment because of our audience. Satan's ultimate desire is to destroy us and to have us leave the faith through the strains he places on us.
1 Peter 5:8-10 provides us with some helpful and hopeful instructions for battling our enemy the lion.
1. We need to be self-controlled and alert.
Obviously, that involves some type of action on our part; we need to face up to the reality of spiritual warfare. Oftentimes, we're too slow in acknowledging the working of evil forces, but ignorance of Satan will not keep us out of the battle. Instead, it will make us easy prey for the Enemy because, like a lion, he is constantly on the move.
2. We need to "resist" or fight against the Enemy.
We may stand firm against Satan only as we depend wholly on Christ, standing firm in our faith. When God is alive and at work in us, we have the unlimited power to overcome the attacks of the Enemy.
3. Pray, pray, pray.
The ultimate weapon in our struggle is prayer. It's been said that, "Prayer is striking the winning blow at the concealed enemy." In the midst of my own spiritual opposition, it occurred to me that I needed to have people praying daily for this ministry, our families, and our protection. In Eph. 6:18, Paul admonishes us to "always keep on praying for all the saints." We can do nothing more important in the thick of battle than to call for prayer reinforcements. We need each other because we are all in God's army battling together.
4. We need to be encouraged and hopeful.
God makes us a promise in 1 Peter 5:10, He will make us "strong, firm and steadfast." By daily placing ourselves under His care and protection, He will give us the victory.
Our Enemy the lion is going to continue to prowl around our lives, but we don't have to let him devour us. Instead, by calling on God's unlimited power and resources, we can devour his attacks through alertness, resistance and, most importantly, prayer!
