Lion Tamers
I. Introduction
The king of the jungle. Fierce. Loud. Teeth bared. Claws sharpened. Ready to pounce. Ready to destroy. Infinitely powerful. Striking fear in everyone! Lions. One of the top attractions at zoos and circuses! We don't mind watching them when they are caged up and at a safe distance. However, the truth is most of us, even though we may not have on the costume, carry a whip, or have a chair handy, are daily squaring off against lions. An issue, a sickness, a relationship, a reoccurring problem that is just as much a man eater as if it had a mane and a nerve shaking roar. So how do we tame lions? How do we handle the beast that is trying to handle us?
We have learned that Lion Tamers:
1. Need a good eye doctor. Your eyes if unguarded can cause you to have to face lions you should have avoided.
2. You will be sent lions.
3. You can find honey only when you have been hunted.
4. You don't face lions when you face lions.
5. Your life is being watched.
6. You can't wait to be attacked. Develop preemptive faith.
7. Cold days can be your best days! God does us a favor when he sends cold days! Don't battle the brrrr battle the grrrrr.
II. Text
1 Peter 5:8-9
8 Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 9 Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are.
III. Lion Taming Truths
Let me take a few moments today and wrap up Lion Tamers with a few more key and powerful Lion Taming Truths.
A. Lion Tamers must develop roar resistance.
Just because it looks like a lion and sounds like a lion doesn't mean it is a lion. He tries to intimidate us into defeat. He tries to roar us into retreat. Goliath looked tough, sounded tough and acted tough. He wasn't so tough. The devil will play you. He is like a lion. He isn't a lion. His greatest weapon is his roar.
Roar causes panic. Fear. If he can get us to be afraid he can get us to be dismayed. If we become dismayed we become dislodged! We go from "I shall not be moved" to "I shall be mauled!"
Loud is designed to drowned out the still small voice. Volume is viscous. If he can ever get you to hear him more than you hear HIM he knows he has you beat! The enemy of our soul always operates directly opposite to God.
We must develop roar resistance! In fact, we must learn to run to the roar!
The lion is already defanged, declawed, and defeated!
Hebrews 2:14 - Therefore, since the children have flesh and blood, he himself also shared the same things, so that by his death he might destroy the one who has the power of death.
(destroyed - made none effect)
1 John 3:8 - The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.
(destroy there means come unglued, can't hold together)
Colossians 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them. (Strips the authority of the enemy, exposes him for a fraud!)
So if he is destroyed, disintegrated, and dethroned then all he has left is a roar.
And so he roars with words like cancer, divorce, never, impossible, bankruptcy, divorce, death.
Stick your fingers in your ears and chant "nanananana - I can't hear you!"
If you are going to tame lions you must silence lions! In fact, we have a lion silencing promise that we often miss or overlook. We love to quote "No weapon formed against us!" That move us, but we stop short of what may be an even greater promise in that passage! It goes on to say "and every tongue that rises up to condemn you will be silenced!"
B. Lion Tamers understand that lions are to be loaned not aloned!
Peter says remember your brothers and sisters all over the world. In other words, don't forget you are not alone and your lion isn't the only lion being faced. We get our eyes on our lion and we allow other members of the herd to go down!
I was reminded of David's encounter with a lion. When he is recounting the story to Saul he says, "I was watching the sheep when a lion attacked." David saves the sheep. David fought the lion to protect sheep! Fight for the sheep! David put himself at risk for the safety of the sheep. The truth is David could have said, "Those aren't my sheep they are the father's sheep. If the father wants to protect the sheep that is his business but I am out of this." He could have said "I will just mind my own business. One sheep isn't worth the pain, struggle, or danger." But he knew that sheep need other sheep to survive the attacks of lions. David knew he was a sheep too. . . the Lord is my shepherd.
It is incredibly important to have someone/shepherd fighting for you!
Fight for one another. Use your lion taming skills for someone around you that is under attack.
We need to develop a herd mentality and kick some lion tail for one another!
VIDEO - Battle of Krueger
Those that fight by themselves are often defeated. Those who are fought for are often victorious. Someone else's escape and victory may be wrapped up in you! The lion looks for the vulnerable. The lion looks for the weak. The lion looks for the wounded. That is why we are told to watch for one another. That is why we are told to bear one another's burdens. Isolation brings annihilation. You are only as strong as the herd and your connection to it!
It isn't enough to just fight your lion. It is when you fight someone else's lion that God sends lion tamers into your life to help you face your lion! Whose lion are you battling? I didn't say you don't have your own lion to deal with. I didn't diminish your need. I just said you are called to share someone else's lion!
Lion Tamers UNITE!
Go to someone and say "Your lions are my lions!" Don't say it unless you are willing for them to call you in the middle of the night and tell you they need lion taming help!
