The Two Lions
Be careful—watch out for attacks from Satan, your great enemy.
He prowls around like a hungry, roaring lion, looking for some victim to tear apart.
(1 Peter 5:8 TLB)
I am from Africa and have been up close and personal with lions. A male lion can weigh over 500 pounds. They are not cute, cuddly pussy cats. They are powerful, dangerous animals, and we are no match for them. Even a “tame” one can revert to type very quickly. You need to treat these creatures with great respect. Stupidity and casualness will get you killed.
When visiting lion parks in South Africa, there are signs everywhere instructing you to drive slowly. If you don’t, it aggravates the lions lying by the side of the road and they may swipe at your tires with their paws. Their claws are so lethal they can shred a tire in seconds. You often see tourists with deflated tires and deflated egos waiting for rescue by the game keepers. And usually there is a lion lying nearby with a smug look on its face.
In our Christian walk, there are two lions. One is the cowardly lion, who lurks in the shadows and pounces when he sees an opportunity. The good news, however, is that there is a second lion. This Lion overcame Satan and because of Him we do not have to walk in fear. The Lion of Judah has won the victory for us and He bears scars on His paws as proof of that.
Our modern culture has made Satan into a cartoon character. He’s portrayed capering around on hooves with pointed horns, holding a trident, and surrounded by the flames of hell. He is nothing like that.
Satan is a powerful enemy; he is pure evil, and he has been around for eons. He has had millennia to hone his craft. He plays dirty and he plays for keeps. He has studied you carefully and he knows your weaknesses. And he often presents himself as an angel of light.
Originally, he was called Lucifer (Isaiah 14) and was the most beautiful angel created—a radiant, shining, glorious being. In Ezekiel it says, “you were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes was prepared for you on the day you were created” (Ezekiel 28:12-13 NKJV). It appears that Lucifer orchestrated worship in heaven, but he became so enamored with his own beauty he tried to make himself equal with God.
For you have said in your heart: “I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High (Isaiah 14:13-14 NKJV).
Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor (Ezekiel 28:17 NKJV).
After he tried to make himself like God, Lucifer was cast out of the third heaven and fell to earth where he now holds court. One-third of God’s angels followed him into rebellion and fell with him. Lucifer is not confined to hell; he is free to roam the earth as legally it is his—for the moment. He also has access to God. He appears in front of the throne where he accuses the brethren.
One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them (Job 1:6 NIV).
On another day, the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord; and Satan also came with them to present himself before Him (Job 2:1 NIV).
The good news is that Christ has won the victory against Satan on our behalf. He defanged and declawed our adversary at the Cross.
And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God” (Revelation 12:10 ESV).
However, you had better know your place in Christ if you want to successfully win the battle with Satan and his minions. Invoking the name of Jesus like a magic talisman is not going to work. You must know Him and who you are in Him. The seven sons of Sceva learned this truth the hard way. They tried to use the name of Jesus to exorcise some evil spirits, but they did not know Him and the result was pandemonium. And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so they fled out of that house naked and wounded (Acts 19:15-17 NKJV).
So, be alert but don’t be afraid. Satan is only loose for a season and that season is short.
He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short (Revelation 12:12 NIV).
We overcome him by:
The Cross. “Having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And he has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it” (Colossians 2:14-15 NKJV).
The Blood. “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death” (Revelation 12:11 NKJV).
The Name. “Therefore, God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth” (Philippians 2:9-10 NKJV).
The Word. “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:11, 17 NKJV).
Keep your eyes on the Lion of Judah and the cowardly lion lurking in the shadows will not be able to come near.
Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you (James 4:7 NKJV).
