There\u2019s a lion at the door! Bolt it\nand pull the sofa in front of it. That vicious animal must not get inside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If only it were that easy to keep\nthe lion away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Peter wrote, \u201cBe sober, be\nvigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about,\nseeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith\u2026 (1 Peter\n5:8-9a).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I knew the Christian life involved spiritual warfare, but I wasn’t prepared for the intensity of the fight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I knew the Christian life involved spiritual warfare, but I wasn't prepared for the intensity of the fight. <\/a><\/span>Click To Tweet<\/a><\/span>\n\n\n\n Never have I doubted the reality of\nthe Devil. I’ve believed since childhood when I pictured him with horns and\nlong tail and pitchfork in hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Although my concept has changed, I\nbelieve he’s real and powerful and active in this world. I’ve never seen a\nvisible manifestation of him. This is what makes the battle unusual\u2014we fight an\nunseen Enemy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Paul warned, “We wrestle not\nagainst flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against\nthe rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high\nplaces” (Ephesians 6:12).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Although I knew the general nature\nof the Devil’s work as prince of evil, I was surprised to learn the specific\nnature of his work, operating in our lives on a personal basis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Old Testament book of Job\ncertainly illustrates this fact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jesus himself encountered the Devil\nand resisted his three brazen temptations (Matthew 4:1-11). <\/p>\n\n\n\n Peter also had first-hand experience.\nThe Lord cautioned, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you,\nthat he may sift you as wheat” (Luke 22:31). No wonder he urged us to be sober\nand vigilant and resist the devil steadfast in faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Paul wrestled a “thorn in the\nflesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above\nmeasure” (2 Corinthians 12:7). He wrote with passion: “be strong in\nthe Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that\nye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6:10-11).<\/p>\n\n\n\n He emphasized the importance of\nforgiveness, “lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not\nignorant of his devices” (2 Corinthians 2:11). He also warned about\n“the snare of the devil” (1 Timothy 3:7, 2 Timothy 2:26) and the\ndanger of giving “place to the devil,” meaning room, foothold, or\nopportunity (Ephesians 4:27 The Amplified Bible).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Spiritual warfare is serious stuff, and knowing how the Devil operates is crucial. He’s called a deceiver, murderer, liar, accuser, and tempter. He’s evil and cunning; he sifts, buffets, and ensnares.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Spiritual warfare is serious stuff, and knowing how the Devil operates is crucial. He's called a deceiver, murderer, liar, accuser, and tempter. He's evil and cunning; he sifts, buffets, and ensnares. <\/a><\/span>Click To Tweet<\/a><\/span>\n\n\n\n Confusion bears his fingerprint. Remember, “God is not the author of confusion, but of peace” (1 Corinthians 14:33). And bizarre is his signature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Devil never runs out of tricks\nand he never gives up. Messing around in his playground is dangerous. So is an\nattitude of indifference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The lion relentlessly scratches at the door. He can make a\nlot of noise and kick up a lot of dust, but he cannot touch us unless God\nallows it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don’t go to battle without your\narmor. Daily put it on through prayer: loins girt about with truth, breastplate\nof righteousness, feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, shield\nof faith to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked, helmet of salvation,\nsword of the Spirit (word of God), constant prayer (Ephesians 6:14-18).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Suit up. This is war!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Have you been caught up in a spiritual battle? Tell me how God brought you through it and the lessons you learned. Please share this with your friends!<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Adapted from Cabbages and Kings\u2014Reflections on Living Abundantly in Christ<\/em>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00a9 Dianne Barker 2019<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" There\u2019s a lion at the door! Bolt it and pull the sofa in front of it. That vicious animal must not get inside. If only it were that easy to keep the lion away. Peter wrote, \u201cBe sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3],"tags":[427,430,9,428,429,289],"class_list":["post-1152","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general","tag-a-lion-is-at-the-door-do-not-let-him-in","tag-armor-for-spiritual-battle","tag-dianne-barker","tag-resist-the-devil","tag-satan-a-roaring-lion","tag-spiritual-warfare"],"yoast_head":"\n