1 Peter 5:8 KJV
[8] “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”
Peter gives us a solemn warning in this verse. I believe this is a reality check for every child of God when it comes to our adversary. Remember that the Devil is not our friend. He has been the enemy of God from before the foundation of this world. He appeared in the garden to destroy man and retaliate against God. The Devil does not care about anyone other than himself. He will stop at nothing to destroy you and your family. Jesus called him a thief, and his ultimate goals are to steal, kill, and destroy. I do not want to give the Devil any credit, but I want us to remember that he is a master deceiver. If not for the truth of God’s Word, he would deceive us all.
Peter says he is as a roaring lion. What does this mean for us as believers? It means that he tries to imitate the Lord Jesus. Jesus is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. The Devil is no match for our Lord, but he wants to appear as a mighty lion. He has a great roar, but he is a defeated foe. Jesus crushed his head at Calvary when He died, and the Devil has never recovered. He will be thrown into the Lake of Fire for all eternity one day. He has never come close to defeating the Lord. He has a big bark, but he has no bite when it comes to our Lord. As children of God, we can overcome him through the power of the Holy Spirit.
There is another side to this evil adversary, which is that he can shred us to pieces without the help of Christ. He is a lion to be feared by each of us if we do not walk in the Spirit. He is in no way our friend, but he is stalking each of us as his prey. That is why we are to be sober-minded, and Peter says to be vigilant. That means to be alert, cautious, and aware of the enemy at all times. We cannot afford to let our guard down, or the Devil will take advantage of us.
Dear reader, I encourage you to keep boundaries and accountability in your life at all times. These are safety nets to keep the enemy from getting to you. It is dangerous to think we can handle things ourselves. We must stay close to the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. Remember that an injured lion will often roar in the jungle. Again, I want to close this devotional with the reminder that the Devil has been conquered by the One who has promised us victory. We do not have to live in fear, but we must walk circumspectly each day. We must stay close to the Lord, or the Devil will seek us out to devour us.