The Adversary

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour

1 Peter 5:8

In the last few years there have been an increasing number of advertisements from mobile phones to video game consoles which include the slogan/moniker “The devil makes light work for idle thumbs” this is indeed true of the body but how much more relevant is it to our minds.

I found this indeed true when I was diagnosed with a long term illness which was extremely frustrating but also gave me the opportunity to do things I could not have done previously. In my experience when I had plenty of time to do nothing I would find my mind was assaulted with obtrusive thoughts, worry and fear. Indeed I heard recently of a man who was homeless and an alcoholic a dear man gave him food and shelter in return for helping him around his farm, the man at the end of the first day of work said I did not even have the time to think about alcohol and probably retired to his new found bed before the 6 o’clock news.

From this I learnt a lesson King David learnt the hard way along time ago, whilst primarily it deals with grievous sin neither the less the application is valid. David rather than going to battle decided to stay and rest and be what many would define as a ‘man of leisure’ whilst he did not fall folly to the 21st century temptation of excessive shopping and gossip over a cappuccino he did spy a beautiful young woman bathing in a pool. Bathsheba was already married to one of David’s men the honourable Uriah the Hittite, so enamoured by the beauty he decided to devise a cunning plan which ultimately led to murder on the battle field (for more read).

You see had David been occupied with the task at hand and been out at the battle he would have not succumbed to his own lascivious thoughts and wickedness, sometimes we are very quick however to deal blame to the devil when in actual fact it is our own flesh (see the next chapter). Perhaps you are ill, weak, and fearful this is exactly the description found in scripture of those whom the great adversary will seek to destroy.

The lion whilst a beautiful creature and indeed created by God it has some prime characteristics and attributes which make it one of the deadliest living animals. Lion’s legs are short with very powerful muscles enabling it to sprint and bring down large prey very quickly. How true that the devil will bring those who are standing high and lofty with pride and arrogance (Prov 29:23). As well as this it is well known for its ability to camouflage itself in high grass and other situations, in this life the devil will camouflage simple seemingly innocent conversations and thoughts as just our thoughts when indeed we are only a moment to succumbing to Lucifer.

The body of this member of the cat family is also very muscular, with less bone mass than other animals closely related in terms of size. This is also responsible for the grace of movement with which we would often associate with it, exactly the characteristic of the serpent who beguiled Eve in the Garden of Eden (Gen 3:1)/

A lion is also well known for preying on the sick and weak, those who are new to the faith constantly are bombarded with questions I would struggle to answer now from friends in colleges. You see if we are of a delicate nature and are not at full strength we are prone to be attacked by the evil one.

Paul would write to the Corinthians and said concerning a thorn in the flesh a messenger from Satan who would constantly attack him and he was told by the Lord that his grace was sufficient for Paul. Paul would then tell those believers

‘My strength is made perfect in weakness’

2 Corinthians 12:9

What exactly did the apostle Paul mean? Did he mean that if he was one moment from death he could bench press 200lb? Of course not, though a seeming oxymoron this is indeed true in Christian experience. If we willingly realise that we can do nothing of ourselves and are truly weak we can then with pure hearts we can ask God to take on our anxiety and care.

I have seen this paradoxical statement repeated over and over by those who have suffered in their lives but who claim that during their trial they built up a close relationship with the Lord that they never would have had otherwise.

Peter warned dispersion Christians of the inability of man to handle his own care and anxiety and to cast it upon the Lord (1 Peter 5:7).

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

1Pe 5:7

I am led to believe by some would be scholars that the word for cast has the idea of casting and leaving it there with God that he is able to answer your every petition. How hard is it to do this? How many times have you prayed using that verse written in your heart and immediately after leaving your knees your mind is array with its own mini arsenal of worrying thoughts. Leave it with the Lord, however as we have said previously you must build a relationship with the God in prayer before expecting any answer because we must not treat our blessed father like a genie in a bottle were he is only there to serve us, it aught to be the other way around.

However, there is a flipside as there usually is to any spiritual truth, whilst we have cast our care upon the Lord we must not be care free and reckless. Being a huge fan of nature documentaries I have noted the number of times that a Zebra who is carefree and wandering from the head of the pack is devoured by a roaming adversary. Indeed, if we as Christians are far removed from the Lord we will be picked off by the devices employed by the evil one who knows we are saved from the ruin of hell however he is intent on emulating that in our lives until we reach heaven.