Have you ever been hunted? Well, guess what? You’re being hunted now. You’re being hunted by an enemy that’s unseen and yet all too real. It’s an enemy that wants to destroy you and everyone and everything dear to you. That enemy is of course the devil.
Peter tells us about this enemy in his epistle:
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” (I Peter 5:8, KJV)
The verse presents the devil as our adversary, who is like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. It evokes the imagery of a roaring lion with all its ferocity and danger. This doesn’t mean that the devil can rob you of your salvation, but the devil can rob you of many other things.
To get an idea of the danger, let’s look at the analogy Peter uses. If Satan hunts us like a lion, how do lions hunt? I’m no expert so I decided to do what all the cool kids are doing these days. I asked ChatGPT. Here’s part of what ChatGPT had to say:
Lions use a combination of stealth, strength, and speed to capture their prey. They often stalk their prey for some time, slowly getting closer until they are within striking distance. When they are ready to attack, they use their powerful legs to sprint at speeds up to 50 mph (80 kph) and take down their prey with a combination of their jaws and sharp claws.
Lions are also known to use ambush tactics, hiding behind cover and waiting for their prey to approach before pouncing. They may also work together as a team to corner their prey and cut off escape routes.
Once they have caught their prey, lions will usually suffocate it by biting down on its throat, using their powerful jaws to crush the windpipe or block the airway.…
Okay, we get the idea.
Being devoured by a lion is NOT a good thing.
So, how does that work for Christians? If we can’t lose our salvation, then what’s the danger of falling into sin?
Well…
Sin can destroy your home, ruin your relationships, rob you of your joy, and steal away any peace in your life. Sin can obscure, even poison, your prayer life. It can confuse you, and cause you to lose any sense of direction or purpose. Sin can fill you with desperation and anxiety. It can lay waste to your reputation and your legacy.
In short, sin can’t take away your eternal life, but it can ruin your life now. And, in doing that, Satan can take you off the board.
Yes, I’m aware that Satan’s power over us begins and ends with God’s permission. But this verse makes clear that God, in His sovereignty, has delegated to Satan a degree of freedom to make life quite challenging and potentially very difficult for you and for me.
Note how lions use “stealth, strength, and speed” to get their prey. That’s how the devil works too. He quite often sneaks up on us unawares—often because we’re not paying attention or we’ve been distracted. The devil is strong. Much stronger than we are. And the devil is fast. His attacks are swift.
We don’t need to fear the devil but we better not underestimate him either.
In order to successfully resist the devil and avoid being devoured by him, we’re told to “be sober” and “be vigilant.” Let’s examine those terms.
The Greek word translated as “be sober” is νήφω (nēphō) which means to be sober or free of any intoxication. We should be clear-headed and alert, not under the influence of alcohol or any other substance. And we frankly shouldn’t be caught up in any kind of emotional intoxication either.
The Greek word translated as “be vigilant” is γρηγορέω (grēgoreuō) which means to stay awake, to be watchful, or to be alert. We must be on guard, keeping our eyes open to the dangers around us.
Half the battle is avoiding the battle. The more sober and vigilant we are, the safer we’ll be from ambush and from fast attacks. We’ll stay on good ground. We’ll travel in packs. We’ll be ready.
As Christians, we must never forget we’re engaged in a spiritual battle against the forces of evil, and we must be vigilant and sober-minded in order to withstand those attacks. We must be aware of the devil’s schemes and tactics, and be prepared to resist him through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
