An Adversary Like No Other
“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world” 1st Peter 5:8, 9.
Dear Friends & Family,
Have you ever had the sense that someone or something was watching you? A couple of days ago I was working down the street from the ranch, on a tractor, outside in the snow when I looked up and there was a stately mountain lion watching me from across the road. His very presence startled me and caused my stomach to sink. Just 80 or so yards away, He was sitting at the base of a tree line watching my every move, as still as a statue. Honestly, I was surprised my eyes saw him, he was standing so still. I continued in my work looking up every 5-10 seconds or so to see what he was doing. I know how incredibly fast an animal of this size can cover 80 yards. Every time I looked up, he was still there, watching me. We played this game until I looked up one last time and this time, he was gone. I scanned the area almost in a panic to find him. There was no sign of him. Now I was really concerned. I knew there was a mountain lion very close who had his eyes on me, but I had no idea where he had gone. Did he retreat into the woods? Was he trying to get behind me with a military-like flanking move? Had he given up altogether or was he simply biding his time for a more opportune moment to attack? Not waiting or wanting to find out, I jumped back on the tractor and headed for home. Sorry, no free meals today Mr. Mountain Lion.
The drive back home took an eternity to complete. The verse above, taken from the book of Peter, kept playing in my mind. This is exactly how our adversary, the devil, prowls around, seeking to devour us. He is stealth, he is experienced and he is deadly. How many of my fellow brothers have I witnessed fall prey to this man-eater over the course of my lifetime? Ah, too many to recount and it brings pain to do so: “Resigned from the pastorate due to sexual immorality.” “Removed from the ministry due to adulterous behavior.” “Financial embezzlement, spiritual abuse, lording power over others, sexual misconduct.” Men far more gifted that I who had taught many how to preach the Word of God, who taught ministry principles and shared incredible, Biblical insights are now forever on the proverbial shelf and no longer in ministry at all because they have been devoured by the devil.
What’s the lesson? Well, there are many but how about we start here: No one is too big, no one is too mature, too godly, too strong or too experienced…to fall. “Let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall” 1st Corinthians 10:12. Without the merciful protection and provision that the Lord grants to His own, we are as vulnerable as a fat, middle-aged man, by himself, out in the woods in the presence of a 200 pound mountain lion sporting fangs as big as steak knives and claws like razor blades. This enemy can only be resisted by an authentic, child-like faith in the Lord Jesus Christ that is determined to remain steadfast and dependent upon the Lord’s protective graces. May we all be given the grace to do so.
- By Art G. – originally posted to Flickr as Those Eyes, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3937214