Stay Alert

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

─ 1 Peter 5:8 ESV

The lion, a muscular cat, is second in size only to the tiger. A male averages six to seven feet long, excluding his tail, stands almost 4 feet tall and can weigh up to 500 pounds. The roar from a male lion is the loudest of all cat species and can be heard from up to five miles away. Their roar is a powerful defense to proclaim and protect their territory, which can be up to 100 square miles.

Our verse today encourages us to stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to eat. Peter used a key word here we need to examine more closely –the word like.

He’s not a lion; he’s like a lion. Jesus is called the “lion of Judah,” – the real lion (Revelation 5:5). The pretender, your enemy is doing his best to imitate Jesus. He is pretending to be the lion you know and love. He wants to destroy those he can deceive.

Lions frequently identify prey that have wandered away, isolated and unaware. If you’re feeling alone, weary, cut off from other believers or if you’re so absorbed on your own difficulties, you could be susceptible to the enemy.

Keep your eyes on Christ and look to fellow Christians for support. The devil cannot defeat those who have faith, those who live in Christ. Christ defeated the devil on the Cross (Revelation 1:18).

Today’s One Thing

Ask the Lord today to help you remain aware and alert. Perhaps you know someone else who could be distracted and vulnerable. Ask the Lord how you can help them.

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