Today’s text is from 1 Peter 5:8-9a
“Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith.”
As a child, the thing that scared me most was the devil. When I was 5, I had an aunt who used to tell me stories about the end of the world and the judgment day. I still remember some of the nightmares I had. I wasn’t a bad kid, but I was easily afraid. Besides, the devil always seemed too cunning for me to handle.
Do you have the same feeling? Is it possible to defeat the devil? Is he too tricky to be beaten? Is it possible that he has you so firmly in his grip that you will not be able to free yourself? The most crucial thing you should know about Satan is that he is the father of all lies.
John 8:44 speaks of the devil and says, “He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”
Let that sink in for a moment. Everything you hear from the devil is a lie. He is unable to speak truthfully. Everything he says contradicts God, the source of all truth. All of the devil’s whispers about his power and your inability to defeat him contradict God’s word.
2 Thessalonians 3:3 says, “But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.”
Our heavenly Father is a perfect, capable protector from Satan. He promises to establish us and guard us. He is always with us and always knows exactly what we need in order to withstand the temptations of Satan.
1 Corinthians 10:13 teaches us, “God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape.”
God is faithful. We do not fight the devil and his temptations alone.
Lonnie Davis