The Devil Is On The Prowl

Alba 7-26-09 (Revised 8-28-2022)

THE DEVIL IS ON THE PROWL

I Peter 5:8-9

Adrian Rogers told about a man who bragged that he had cut off the tail of a man-eating lion with his pocketknife. Asked why he hadn’t cut off the lion’s head, the man replied: "Someone had already done that."

Our text today warns us of a lion that is a danger to us all. The apostle Peter gives us not only a warning but also the way to avoid the danger. He tells us in I Peter 5:8-9:

"8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world."

We live in a society that believes evil exists, but writes off Satan as a character in cartoons with a pitch fork and horns. This image has reduced the truth about the enemy to a mere fairy tale.

We tend to look at lions from the perspective of movies like the Lion King or The Wizard of Oz. But scripture gives us a more accurate picture of the type of lion that Satan really is.

He is not at all like cowardly lion portrayed in the Wizard of Oz, he is more like the lions you would have seen on Wild Kingdom.

When there is a lonely wounded animal, a pack of lions swarm around it and eventually lunge at it in full attack mode with only one thing on their mind, and that is to satisfy themselves by devouring the helpless animal. That is a more accurate picture of what the devil is like.

We need to get something straight, Satan is a real being, and the Bible indicates that his first job was that of an angel. But, he was obsessed with self and pride; so he rose up against God and was cast out of heaven and condemned to a future in hell.

Since that time he has been trying to rob God’s glory from Him by deceiving mankind. He is dragging others down with him. You know, misery loves company.

If there was ever a time when Satan’s roaring could be heard it is in our present day. Everywhere you turn, no matter what you read or what position you hold in life, Satan’s roaring is loud.

The last two Sundays I have made reference to the troubles we face in our world and in our nation. Our current political climate is filled with the politicians making statements and others calling it disinformation. People are canceled for sharing information that doesn't conform to the current approved narrative.

Minor infractions of the law are treated as if they are a danger to our national security, while crime runs rampant in the streets with people stealing in broad daylight and attacking others with knives and guns. And those who are arrested for such offensives are back on the streets the next day.

As our society becomes more and more wicked, the devil has quite an array of sinners who become his "fast food" meals.

Like a teenager who picks up a burger and fries at McDonalds, Satan is happy to pick up a high school kid who goes to a party and tries drugs or binge drinking for the first time, passing out to never regain consciousness.

It's a TV dinner for the devil to enjoy when a drug addict shoots up again and again, a hopeless businessman considers suicide, or a prostitute believes the lie that this is all she can do.

In fact, it's not even a challenge for him. It's just "fast food." Nothing to write home about. Only an appetizer – it doesn't even satisfy him. Proverbs 27:20 states, "Hell and destruction are never full!"

But, when the devil wants a "gourmet meal" do you know who it is that he goes after? A Christian!

A preacher is a delicacy! A Sunday School teacher! A church leader! A church musician provides entertainment for him! The one in the "Amen" corner! A kid who's been raised in church is a choice morsel! All of these make up a buffet for Satan's voracious appetite.

He doesn't care how long it takes to prepare this meal. He doesn't care how long he has to “prowl around...looking” as the Scripture says. He knows this meal will be worth the wait.

The devil, this roaring lion, is the enemy. He is God's enemy, the enemy of Jesus Christ. He is completely against everything that our Heavenly Father desires. He is completely against anything that Jesus would do. He is their enemy and desires the destruction of God’s work and kingdom.

He is also YOUR enemy and mine. He is anti-you, and anti-me. Anything that would bring us down and destroy our life is the plan of the devil.