Stay Alert!

Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are. In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. All power to him forever! Amen.

1 Peter 5: 7-11 (NLT)

In this world, most people either love cats, or despise them. I am definitely a cat person: I love small cats, big cats, house cats, and wildcats. Cats are independent, graceful, and beautiful creatures.  One species of big cat is especially fascinating to me– the “king of the jungle,” the lion.  No zoo visit is complete without seeing one. But this extraordinary creature, though captivating to observe from a safe distance, has the power to be deadly.

Did you know that male lions weigh around 400 pounds, and can reach running speeds of up to 50 miles per hour? A lion’s roar can be heard from up to five miles away! I don’t know about you, but as intriguing as they are, I would never want to share personal space with a hungry lion.

Peter warns believers that the devil is like a roaring lion. He roams around just looking for someone to attack, to tear apart and devour, to utterly destroy. And a lion attack is not a pretty sight; the process is graphic and violent.

Have you experienced a season in your life when you felt you were under attack? A roaring lion may not have been pursuing you, but something even more malicious probably was.

1 Peter 5:8 is prefaced in verse 7, by perfect words of comfort and encouragement–preparation for the things to come, for the times in our lives when we will inevitably be under attack. It says:

Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

Then, only after we are assured of God’s great love and care, after our hearts are nurtured and our faith is built up, we read the warning:

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.

Here’s another interesting fact about lions: They hunt for food mostly in between dusk and dawn–in the dark! How many times do we wake in the middle of the night, plagued with worry, doubt, loneliness, or fear? We experience agonizing moments of darkness, both literal and figurative. The lion is most dangerous at a time when there is an absence of light.

So what can we do to protect ourselves from his powerful attack? We welcome the Light! God’s word continues by telling us exactly what to do! Verse 9 says:

1. Stand firm against Satan.
2. Be strong in your faith.
3. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.

Don’t you just love it when God’s word gives us step-by-step instructions? We are to stand firm, be strong, and remember that we are not alone. We are all disciples of Jesus, and in turn we are commanded to disciple others. In doing so, our own faith is strengthened! Then, because our lives are intertwined, we are united. None of us is ever alone. Through God’s word, His presence, and the accountability of other believers, we are able to withstand the violent attacks of the prince of darkness. Together.

Satan desires to sift us like wheat; to separate us from God's purpose and His people. He desires to snatch God's word out of our hearts and minds, and leave us completely alone.

But verse 10 gives the best news of all. After we have suffered through the pursuit, we will be restored, supported, strengthened, and given a firm foundation upon which to stand. Through His amazing grace and power– a power that is exponentially stronger than the roaring, prowling enemy, God will restore us.

In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. All power to him forever! Amen.

• Do you recognize times when you are experiencing a personal attack from the enemy? What role can discipleship play in your being more alert to them?

• Is there someone you know who is currently ‘under attack’ in a way that you yourself once were? What can you do to encourage that person?

-Kelly Wilson Mize