In 1 Peter 5:8, the Holy Spirit warns Christians to “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

The Contemporary English Version gives this translation “Be on your guard and stay awake. Your enemy, the devil, is like a roaring lion, sneaking around to find someone to attack. The Living Bible further translates it as “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.  Stand firm when he attacks. Trust the Lord…

Lions lurk in the background, hiding, watching and waiting for their prey. They usually set their sights upon a weak member of the herd or one who is separated from the herd and/or distracted, then they attack.

Our nation has been dragged into a deadly panic of seemingly endless threats from an “invisible enemy” that not only assaults our physical bodies with disease but assaults our minds with fear.

I submit that the fear that assaults our minds, especially Christians, during times like this is an attempt from the Enemy to distract us from the Truth that as believers our battle is already won. We don’t have to entertain fear. The Father of Lies lurks in the shadows watching and waiting for our weak, fleshly moments then bombards our minds with fear. Fear can be a great motivator but it can also be paralyzing. The Enemy wants to paralyze us with fear so that our minds will be taken off of our position in Christ and we’ll get distracted (in our minds) by our feelings of fear, instead of trusting (with our minds) the Truth that God will not abandon His own. He wants us to stand firm (in our minds) with the helmet of salvation. (Ephesians 6:17) Christ desires to show us His love, power and faithfulness in times like this.

He also has a Passion for us to witness to the lost around us especially during troubled times. God created us to have a relationship with Him. He then went to great lengths to redeem us when we were lost and separated from Him. Unfathomable lengths. Then He gave His Holy Spirit to all who receive His Son, Jesus! Christians have the power of the Holy Spirit within them!

“Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.“Acts 2:38

This terrifies Satan. He knows the Power of the Holy Spirit in a believers life. No wonder he seeks to devour us through fear.

If James 2:19 says “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder!”

As Christians we don’t have to fear the lies of the Enemy. We are not helpless and hopeless in this life. The good news is that it is not how much faith or trust we have or don’t have that secures our home in Heaven. Our salvation is secure not because of what we have done, but by what Christ has done. Hallelujah! Let’s focus our minds on that truth, especially when we are assaulted with Satan’s fiery arrows of fear.

We may not have been able to foresee this pandemic but it did not take God by surprise.

Jesus said “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

The Devil knows the Word of God and he knows his time is short. It won’t be long before the Lion from the Tribe of Judah returns to devour him once and for all!

Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed!” Revelation 5:5

Will you take some time to focus on where you will spend eternity? How can knowing your eternal future as a believer help you during troubled times?

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