A Roaring Lion

by Micky Galloway

I Peter 5:8-9, “Be sober, be watchful: your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour, whom withstand stedfast in your faith, knowing that the same sufferings are accomplished in your brethren who are in the world.”

This context teaches us to cast “all your anxiety upon him, because he careth for you” (I Peter 5:6-7). Let there be no doubt that God is willing and able to help us! However, our attention is quickly directed to our responsibility. We are to be watchful against our “adversary the devil.”

His names help us understand who he is and why we should watch: This is not an exhaustive list …

Satan: satan “adversary; the prince of evil spirits, the inveterate adversary of God and of Christ” (Thayer).

Devil: diabolos “prone to slander, slanderous, accusing falsely; false accuser; Satan, the prince of demons, the author of evil, persecuting good men” (Thayer). Satan accused Job of serving God out of selfish motives (Job 1:9-11). He accused Job of being weak and that he would not serve the Lord if he were in pain (Job 2:1-7). On the other side, He accuses God of doing wrong toward men. “And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:4-5).

The Adversary: antidikos (I Peter 5:8) “An opponent in a suit at law; devil … because he accuses men before God” (Thayer).

The enemy: echthros (Matthew 13:39) “The hostile one; i.e., the most bitter enemy of the divine government” (Thayer). Here is rebellion personified. The authority of Jesus Christ means nothing to the devil.

Beelzebub: beelzebou (Matthew 12:24) “Lord of dung or of filth, i.e., of idolatry” (Thayer). His every work is unclean and defiled. The devil is immoral, corrupt, and filthy. Certainly the Christian should recognize his influence and flee!

He is Father of lies and all liars: pateras (John 8:44) He is “father” … “the originator and transmitter of anything … one who has infused his own spirit into others, who actuates and governs their minds” (Thayer). The governing powers of Satan are produced through lies. He lied to Eve and he lies to us today.

The deceiver: planao (Revelation 12:9) “Lead astray, cause to wander” (A&G). “To cause to stray, to lead astray, lead aside from the right way” (Thayer). Paul warned the Ephesians, “that we may be no longer children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error” (Ephesians 4:14; cf. Galatians 1:6-8).

The destroyer: (Apollyon) (Revelation 9:11) In this text, Apollýœn is a translation and personification of the Hebrew and means Destroyer (usually seen as a play on Apollo, the god of pestilence, who was regarded as the god of the empire and had the locust as his creature) (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament). The devil is out to ruin man spiritually through his lies, deceptions and temptations that he may truly be the god of your life and ultimately ruin yours as he is ruined! Indeed, he is “the evil one” (1 John 2:13).

Is it any wonder then, that wherever the “word,” (the seed of the kingdom) is sown, “then cometh the devil …” (Luke 8:11-12)? The devil’s one great purpose is to hinder the truth, and thus keep men from obeying God and being saved. He works to destroy souls. We should know the character of his work that we may resist his influence and defeat him. Let us not be “ignorant of his devices” (II Corinthians 2:11). He has “schemes” (noema – NASV), which W.E. Vine defines as “that which is thought out … hence, ‘a purpose, device’.” We are foolish if we don’t realize that Satan’s efforts as our adversary are well thought out and designed. If the devil can take the word from the heart, he has accomplished his purpose to destroy man. Hence, he ever works to this end.

What is the solution? God’s word must live in us. The Psalmist said, “Thy word have I laid up in my heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Psalms 119:11). Whatever God’s word has said on any subject is right and true. God has said what He means and He meant what He said. Whatever the word of God teaches concerning faith, repentance, baptism, the Lord’s supper, the church (its name, work, government, terms of entrance), or worship, or heaven and hell, or any other subject; it should be accepted without question. Allow nothing to cause you to doubt that God means what He says in His word. It does not matter if you agree with it or not. Do not be misled into thinking that something else will do just as well. Always look with suspicion on one who would seek to create doubts in your mind that the Bible means what it says; or one who infers that the Bible is not a complete guide for man. Neither the devil nor his agents appear under their true colors. They present themselves as benefactors, not destroyers. Often, they appear as the shining examples of piety “and their mouth speaketh great swelling words” (Jude 16). Satan presents himself as “an angel of light,” and his servants sometimes feign themselves as “ministers of righteousness” (II Corinthians 11:14-15). This deceit enables them to “take away the word” (Luke 8:12), from the heart of the unsuspecting.

God’s word is truth (John 17:17). It is a complete guide. It is “profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness. That the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work” (II Timothy 3:16-17). Men dare not tamper with it (cf. I Peter 4:11; Galatians 1:8-9). The Devil is a worthy adversary! Allow no person or thing to cause you to reject God’s word from your heart. To do so will cost you your soul! Jesus said, “He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my sayings, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I spake, the same shall judge him in the last day” (John 12:48).

The Devil is a deceiver and a liar, and from the beginning he has sought to bring man to spiritual destruction. His methods are well thought out and have defeated many. But through His Son, God has given us everything we need to defeat him in this life and death battle that we are in.