The Bible says that the devil prowls like a roaring lion. I have never heard a lion roar but I can imagine being in a jungle and hearing that roar. I can imagine that my heart would stop. I can imagine that all breath would be taken from me. I can imagine fear like I have never known before.
The devil can roar but he cannot touch us without God's permission. He was given permission to afflict Job but was limited in how far that affliction could go. The devil's greatest weapon is making us believe that something terrible is about to happen. He roars and we stop following after our Lord. He roars and we deny who we are in Him. He roars and we live in fear.
Most of the roars of the devil never happen to us. He roars and tells us that God will not take care of us. He roars and says that all is lost unless we abandon our devotion to the Lord. He roars to bring us the fear that will steal the joy we should have in the Lord.
How many times have you been afraid for your future? Were you really afraid that God would not supply what you needed? This is the roar of the devil. He consumes those who abandon their trust in the Lord.
The Bible tells us to resist him. We do so when we are firm in our faith. We do so when we tell him who our God really is. We do so when we recite the greatness of our God. We tell him of the times God has provided for us. We tell him of the times God has provided for His people.
Yes, we may end up suffering but the suffering can only last as long as God gives it permission. Then, we are relieved. This is our faith. This is a test of our faith. God never releases us to the devil without limiting the time and extent of what the devil can do.
So, the devil roars but instead of running, we confront him with our testimony of who our God is. He flees. It isn't so much that he is a coward. He just knows when he is licked.
1 Peter 5:8-9 (NIV)
8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
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