Keeping The Lion Away Part 2

Satan is a very cunning enemy, while is under the authority of God, he is still very powerful. We as children of God must understand that he wants us to fail and our lives not count for Jesus Christ. Last time we saw our obligations, to be sober. It is important if we are to keep the lion away that we always be serious minded, realizing that the our enemy does not take a vacation or a day off. We also have an obligation to be vigilant. To be like a watchman on the wall of life, warning of the enemy that may attack at any time.
We have seen our obligation, let us next look to our opposition. I Peter 5:8 says, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” The Word of God calls Satan our adversary. The word here literary about an opponent in a court of justice.. It really fits because in Rev 12:10, the devil is called the accuser of our brethren. Zechariah 3:1 says, “And he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.” The prophet here sees the High Priest Joshua serving the Lord, and standing right next to him is Satan counteracting him and working against him.
Satan can take many forms, he is the enemy of Matthew 13:39, he is called a murderer from the beginning in John 8:44, but he can also take on what may seem as harmless forms. 2 Corinthians 11:14 says, “And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.” That is why our enemy is so dangerous, it not the roaring lion we need to be looking for, it the harmless, angel of light. In our world today we see many things that are dangerous, but there are many things that seem innocent that are very dangerous. Satan wants you to think he is harmless then he strikes at you when you are not looking.
Satan is has many attributes, but we must also look to hi actions what is that Satan does? Satan is seen in the New Testament has both an enemy of God and man. The popular notion is that Satan is the enemy of man and active in misleading and cursing humanity because of his intense hatred and opposition to God. Matthew 13:39 says, “ The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.” In the parable of the sower the father sowed his wheat but the Satan sowed his tares, his false wheat. In this parable we see the primary actions of Satan, to oppose God and hinder his plans whenever and wherever he can.
This can be illustrated in the story of Job. Job 1:6-8 say :
Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil
Satan had he eye on Job, he wanted Job. Satan wanted to make sure that God could not use him. While Satan had he eye Job, so did the Lord. That is our safe place. God will allow Satan to go only so far.
Our Lord once told Peter that Satan wanted him so he could destroy him. Satan wants the same thing of us. He will stop at nothing to make our lives not count for God. We must remember our obligations, to be sober to vigilant, we must also remember our opposition, who is that stands against us. Let us also remember who stand for us, and if God is for us who can be against us?