Prophecy and Promise: Devotions from Time of GraceSample

Your Enemy Is a Lion

One of the delicious thrills of going to the zoo is to see ferocious wild animals in cages. We see them stalk around, glaring and growling, but we know that the steel bars make them helpless to hurt us. Still, we shiver a little when we imagine what it might be like to meet a lion on the open savanna, when he is hungry and we are the prey.

The Bible wants you to know that your archenemy, Satan, is like a lion and that you are being stalked. The apostle wrote to some confused Christians, "Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8).

Satan lost his damning power over you when you came to faith in Christ, your Savior. But he wants you back on death row. And because he is still the prince of this world and has great power, he will come at you again and again with pain or pleasures to persuade you to give up on God. When your own strength seems small, you can put your trust in the One who promised that no one can rip you out of his hands (John 10:28).

The Lord Jesus, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, is an even bigger lion, and he has final control of all that happens in our universe. His roar is good news for us, for it is the roar of God's triumph over evil.