Devoured or Strengthened?

"Be of sober spirit, be on the alert.

Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion,

seeking someone to devour."

1 Peter 5:8

How does the devil devour people?  How do I know if I am being devoured?  In the context of the above verse, Peter talks about humbling ourselves before the Lord so he may exalt us.  If we are not humble, we are ripe pickings for the roaring lion.  Our pride propels us away from God and into the mouth of the adversary.  In a previous post I explored what it means to walk humbly with God: It is to "recognize his sovereign rule, to trust his sovereign knowledge, to love and serve him by obeying his commands."  In pride, we reject God's rule and knowledge.  How does this make us weak and easily devoured?  The devil is called the Father of Lies (John 8:44).  The devil feeds us lies and encourages us to doubt God's rule, God's goodness, God's very existence.  He calls us to put our faith in ourselves, to throw off humility and clothe ourselves in pride.  Paul depicts the devil as firing arrows at believers (Eph. 6:16), flaming arrows of temptation and lies.

"For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth

to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him."

2 Chronicles 16:9

When I read the above verse, I immediately thought of its similarity and contrast to the verse that describes the devil as a roaring lion. Whereas the devil prowls the earth, seeking someone to devour, God looks throughout the earth to find people to strengthen.*  The context of this verse involves King Asa of Judah, who took gold and silver out of the temple and gave it to the King of Aram so that the King of Aram would join with him against Israel.  In doing so, he demonstrated that he put his faith and trust in another nation to save him and not God.  In other words, Asa did not walk humbly with God.  He did not view God as sovereign ruler and protector of Judah.  Who does God strengthen?  Those whose hearts are fully committed to him.  Those who know God is sovereign and who trust his rule.

It is by trusting God that we are strengthened and defeat the devil's flaming arrows.  Ephesians 6:16 says, "take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one."  The devil is defeated when we defend ourselves with trust in the Lord.  As we stand firm, we are strengthened by God who sees our faith and bolsters our committed hearts.  The more we stand, the more we will be strengthened.

Today, are you a candidate for devouring or strength?  Are you prey for the roaring lion or a faithful heart upheld by the Lord's strength?  We are either one or the other.  We either listen to the lies of our adversary or trust in the Lord's power.

 

*Another telling contrast in the this verse is that the devil is a lion, a created being with one form who has to roam the earth looking for someone to devour.  God's eyes search the whole earth.  In other words, God can see all at once and strengthen everyone whose hearts are committed to him.  The devil is a limited being who can only devour one at a time.