Daily Devotion | Day 309
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith . . .” (1 Peter 5:8-9, NKJV).
Satan is a stalker. Remember that. When he takes interest in you, it’s not because he loves you, but because he wants your downfall. He is obsessed with chaos, death and destruction. Indeed, he is evil personified. Our purpose in the following message is to discover why the devil stalks people and how we can stop him from launching a successful attack against us. The opening passage from 1 Peter gives us important clues. We will start from there and work our way into other related Scripture passages.
The current message is broken into two parts. In the first part, we will discuss satan’s stalking activities based on what Peter tells us in today’s opening passage. This will set the stage for us to discuss the second part (God willing, tomorrow) which will focus on specific instances in the Bible of people satan stalked and how they overcame.
Peter is writing to Christians. This fact is important, because it indicates that being a Christian doesn’t automatically make you immune to satan’s malicious activities. In the passage, Peter supplies four key facts about spiritual warfare. First, he tells us that we do have an enemy. Second, he tells us who the enemy is (the devil). Third, he tells us what the enemy does: He “walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” Fourth, he tells us how we can overcome: “Be sober, be vigilant;” “resist him.” Let’s keep these points in mind. Now let’s talk more about the third point: what satan does.
The devil is a restless creature. Evil creates a state of restlessness. As a result, those who entertain, plot or perpetrate evil are restless people. As the Book of Proverbs says, “For they [evil people] cannot sleep unless they have done wrong; they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble” (4:16, ESV). The Bible rightly tells us that the devil walks around like a roaring lion. Notice that his stalking activity is ongoing, which means he never rests. Furthermore, notice that he doesn’t walk around aimlessly. He has a goal, which is to find someone to devour. The fact that Peter warned Christians about this, is evidence that it is possible for a Christian to be devoured by satan.
Note this too: Peter didn’t say the devil is looking to devour a Christian’s property. No, he said the enemy is looking to devour the Christian himself. This means satan is not interested in your physical property per se. He is not after your house, your boat, your bank account or your car. If he touches any of these things, it’s just a means to get to you. But his ultimate goal is to make you his prey, end your life and drag you to hell with him. The devil is anti-life to the core. He is not just a petty thief. Jesus calls him a murderer (John 8:44). As he walks around, his desire is to find people who are spiritually vulnerable. Like a lion in search of prey, he stalks before he strikes. Satan stalks people because he wants to murder them, both spiritually and physically.
Remember: Ignorance of your enemy is ignorance of your victory. Knowledge is security.
Our Father in heaven has gone great lengths to have these things recorded in the Bible for our benefit. His aim is to expose our enemy and to help us stay safe. Therefore, stay informed. Be vigilant in prayer. And above all, keep your fire burning. Amen.
Blessing: May Jesus expose your enemies and deliver you from every evil attack. Amen.
For further study: Psalm 124 and Psalm 91
Higher-Self Realities 