“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” 1 Peter 5:8
Why is Satan allowed to attempt to attack and devour you as a lion? Devour means to destroy.
Satan as the serpent was given permission to eat mankind as part of the curse. Christians by faith are no longer under the curse!
“And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:” Genesis 3:14
Satan is the serpent.
“And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” Revelation 12:9
The dust is figurative for mankind.
“The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.” 1 Corinthians 15:47
“In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” Genesis 3:19
Christians have sight; non-Christians are blinded by Satan.
“In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” 2 Corinthians 4:4
“For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.” Matthew 13:15
How should one combat the attacks of Satan as he seeks to devour you? Jesus commanded him to leave and quoted Scripture.
“Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. 11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.” Matthew 4:10-11
“But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.” Matthew 16:23
As a Christian use your anointing to combat Satan.
“How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.” Acts 10:38
One of Jesus’ is deceived. He is devoured by Satan!
“Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve. 4 And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray him unto them. 5 And they were glad, and covenanted to give him money. 6 And he promised, and sought opportunity to betray him unto them in the absence of the multitude.” Luke 22:3-6
How was Judas deceived?
“And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.” 2 Corinthians 11:14
The shepherd who is a hireling acts on behalf of Satan to devour God’s people. One way to determine a hireling is if he/she uses the term ‘reverend’.
“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” John 10:10
In Jesus,
Bruce
