Like a roaring lion

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”

Intro

Lion king

Mufasa

Lions are one of the most social animals in the world

They live in prides that have social structures

Sometimes followed better than human

Around the age of 2 a male lion reaches maturity and will start challenging his father

The father if still possible will drive out the son

Casted out males that live

Most will die

will form bachelor parties and can spend up to 3 years stalking down the perfect pride to try and over take

Then will come the day they decide on a pride and they will attempt to over throw

Well Peter gave us a pretty good description of what Satan is like

So what does this warning tell us

We have a great adversary

Who better knew this than Peter

Look at what Peter had been told by Jesus

Luke 22:31

“And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:”

‭‭just as Job

Job 1:7

“And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.”

‭‭just as that young male lion looking for a pride to take over

Satan is stalking his next victim walking up and down till he finds who wants to try next

Remember how God answered in job 1:8 he said have you considered my servant Job

Satan didn’t even have to say what he was doing

It’s who he is

The accuser

We need to take heart in the warning that Peter gives us here

Be sober, be vigilant;

Be sober

Self controlled

Sound minded

This doesn’t just mean alcohol drugs

Whatever has your mind not on Christ

Has you not being sober

Look at what comes right before this warning

V6-7

“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”

‭‭casting all your cares upon him

What can hold your mind captive just as much as anything

Anxiety

Worry can have your mind unsound just as much as drugs

Doesn’t it make sense that Peter is just repeating the message of Christ from the sermon on the mount

Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭34‬

“Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”

‭‭you want to give Satan an easy target and easy meal

There’s probably nothing he loves more than a Christian who worry’s

Cast your cares upon him for he cares for you

What a difference

Satan devours kills steals destroys

God cares loves forgives

Whatever is holding your mind captive whether it is something you put in our something you can’t let go of

We have to strive to be sober minded

Be vigilant

God cares so therefore don’t worry

While visiting a wildlife sanctuary, I witnessed how lions command respect. Their very presence evokes awe and a sense of safety among their group. In our lives, we often seek assurance in the face of fear and doubt. Jesus, the Lion of Judah, stands before us as a protector and leader. His fierce love and unwavering courage embolden us to engage with the world bravely, reminding us that in Him, we possess a strength not of our own but of the true lion who reigns over all.

Satan devours therefore be vigilant

Keep watch

We need to be alert to the wiles of satan

Matthew‬ ‭26‬:‭41‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Be proactive

If I find that this or that is making sin more appealing or easier to commit remove it

James 4:7

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

As followers of Christ we do not have to fall victim to the devil

We are drawn away by our desire when we are weak and we give in

(James 1:14,

But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

Stay vigilant

Hey I know satan got me last time this way

Guess what don’t do that again

Definition of insanity

Don’t let him have that foothold

Let him have an inch and he will take your life

Pray for God to start tearing down the strongholds

2 Corinthians 10:3-5

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

We have to active to stay ready

He is continually seeking to destroy your witness making you useless

Whispering lies

Showing you false

Twisting truth

Adrian Rodger’s said it pretty good

The best lies sound the most like truth

And all good lies have some truth in it.

Genesis 3:1-6

Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? 2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. 4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. 6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

Right Satan knew that they would not die that day but we know it brought about sin and sin brought about death

He’s scouring

Crawling around like a hungry lion looking for his next meal

The true lion of Judah

Revelation‬ ‭5‬:‭1‬-‭5‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.”

‭‭Jesus the one prophecies about in genesis

The only one worthy to open the book

6-8

“And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.”

‭when the true king shows up everyone knows

He doesn’t have to let out a mighty roar

To let everyone know whose in charge

The lion stood as a lamb slain

He whispered in your ear

He came found you and the spirit knocked on your heart

It’s not just a saying bc it sounds cool and everyone can remember it

But one day every knee shall bow and you he confess that Jesus Christ is Lord

What a scene

One day we will experience God in all his glory

And we shall praise him just as the Angels have forever

Closing

Who will you serve

The one who cares for you

Or the one who wants to devour you

One promises a way that may seem right but ends in destruction

One is the way

One seeks to protect

One seeks to kill

One loves you

One loves self

Make sure you pick the correct one