The Roaring Lion

Nobody wants to lose. Whether it’s on a board game, a football field or a battlefield, people will kick and scratch and claw for every advantage so that losing is not an option.

“You have to know what the opponent can do”. – Bill Belichick

Bill Belichick, the coach of the very successful New England Patriots said in an interview in 2017, “You [have to] know what the opponents can do, what their strengths and weaknesses are [and] what to do in every situation”.

In essence, he was saying that when we understand the enemy, we understand how we should engage in battle against them. We are in a war with the devil. If we are to have victory in our lives against sin and temptation, we must be ready to engage in the battles as a well-prepared soldier who knows the enemy and his schemes.

In regards to this war as it relates to the glory of God, reformer John Calvin said, “If the glory of God is dear to us, as it ought to be, we ought to struggle with all our might against him who aims at the extinction of that glory. If we are animated with proper zeal to maintain the kingdom of Christ, we must wage irreconcilable war with him who conspires its ruin” (John Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion,Book First Chapter 14 Section 15). Truer words have never been spoken about the battle the Christian soldier is engaged in.

The Bible uses many terms for our ultimate foe Satan. He is called the accuser, the father of lies, an angel of light, the deceiver, a murderer and many other unflattering but appropriately descriptive names.

The Roaring Lion

Simon Peter, who was an apostle of Jesus Christ, and the author of First Peter in the Bible, compares the devil to a roaring lion. He says, “your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

Lions have a strategy when stalking their prey. They will often lie for hours outside the dens of the animal they are seeking to kill, just observing and waiting until the perfect moment to launch an attack. Lions do most of their hunting at night. The cover of darkness allows them the opportunity to be unnoticed. The prey of the lions often become victims because they are unaware that they are being stalked.

It has been shown that a lion’s roar can be heard over five miles away. They use their roar not only to show that they are in control, but also to intimidate and paralyse their prey. A lion has an insatiable appetite for its prey and when it is roaring, it strikes fear into everything within hearing distance!

Peter was describing the devil as our adversary. This term literally means ‘an opponent in a court of justice’. In the courtroom, where justice is supposed to prevail, the one who opposes this process is the adversary. Peter says that not only is the devil adamantly against justice, but he is walking around like a lion stalking its prey. He’s out to destroy justice and out to destroy people, laying snares, in an attempt to swallow up his unsuspecting prey.

As potential prey of the devil, what actions do we need to take to avoid being devoured?

Be Sober

A sober person is calm and level-headed. They have the ability to think clearly as to make good decisions. They are not the one’s who would put themselves into a dangerous situation. Being sober-minded then is an extremely important aspect in avoiding the snares of the devil.

Be Watchful

We become victims of Satan’s attacks because we are unaware of how he operates. His schemes are so well planned and executed with precision. We cannot be lazy in our faith by letting our guard down. Vigilance against the enemy and his tactics is necessary for survival, always ready to fight a brutal battle with him who would destroy our soul. Being vigilant means always on the lookout, giving strict attention to and taking heed so that sudden calamity doesn’t befall us. Ignorance and indolence are the antithesis of vigilance. We should have our eyes wide open, becoming skilled at the art of watchfulness.

Resist

The Christian who will not be swallowed up in the devil’s devices is the one who resists. It is imperative, with the help of our God, to set our minds steadfastly against the enemy. Draw a line in the sand which you will not cross. Set standards and boundaries that you’re not willing to break. Push back against evil and unrighteousness.

“Let us not allow ourselves to be overtaken by sloth or cowardice, but, on the contrary, with minds aroused and ever on the alert, let us stand ready to resist.” – John Calvin

Again, quoting John Calvin, “Being forewarned of the constant presence of an enemy the most daring, the most powerful, the most crafty, the most defatiguable, the most completely equipped with all the engines and the most expert in the science of war, let us not allow ourselves to be overtaken by sloth or cowardice, but, on the contrary, with minds aroused and ever on the alert, let us stand ready to resist; and, knowing that this warfare is terminated only by death, let us study to persevere. Above all, fully conscious of our weakness and want of skill, let us invoke the help of God, and attempting nothing without trusting in him, since it is his alone to supply counsel, and strength, and courage, and arms” (Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book First, Chapter 14, Section 13).

When we resist, the Bible says that the enemy will flee (James 4:7). To flee is to vanish by running away. Jesus resisted the devil in the famous temptation scene in Matthew 4. He resisted by utilizing Scripture against the enemy. And what did the devil do? The passage says he departed.

Fight the Good Fight of Faith

Being sober, watchful and resisting are all actions in the aorist tense in the original text of the Greek, meaning that it is an action without completion. In other words, keep doing these things. Do not stop. Keep being sober. Keep being watchful. Keep resisting. Fight the good fight of faith and do not lose heart, always looking to our commanding officer, Jesus Christ.