05/24/2026
Sunday Message " Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: whom resist steadfast in the faith, " (1 Peter 5:8)
This is a definite warning from God, especially during these final days.
And yet, many people don't even believe a devil even exists; and I'm talking about people who call themselves Christians! I could tell you from my experience that he is real, but there is a greater testimony than mine---God tells you so in the Bible. Jesus taught about Satan and went everywhere to free people from Satan's chains. He still does that, praise the Lord.
I know there are people these days who go to church, are morally good people even, but they do not believe that there is a devil. And they teach this lie to their children also. That’s a sin and a crime against the souls of those children.
I think we’ve all heard the quote “The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist.”
And there is some truth in that, right? But not just “the world,” - he has convinced some churches of this!!
“I’s high time we brought back the kind of preaching and teaching that exposes the enemy and stops teaching things that give him cover!
What general in a battle would tell his soldiers that the other army – who are trying to kill them by the way– is nowhere to be found, is not really there at all? He would be a traitor, right? He would be guilty of treason, which is a capital offense, and that general would be costing those men and women the loss of their lives.
So are those preachers, teachers, and so-called scholars who proclaim that the devil was just an old-fashioned notion for more primitive, less enlightened people, or that Satan was just a made-up personification of the evil in the world--- a name given to explain evil and bad things happening. Lies, lies, and more lies. They are calling Jesus a liar, and that’s calling God a liar too.
The devil is as real as you are, and the message is; we all need to be on guard and be alert.
What does that mean? It means praying daily. It means learning the strategies of the devil and being alert for them. Knowing his tactics. Knowing his lies. They are there in the Bible for us to keep before us. The winning soldiers in a battle are not going to be those who go to sleep too much. Do not go to sleep on the devil. Don’t stop praying or reading the word. The word is where you will receive the shield of faith. I want to put this scripture in here:
Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
1Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
That’s a soldier who will not be devoured by the devil. And those scriptures, if applied, will keep you safe.
Now, back to our lion scripture… “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour whom resist steadfast in the faith”
We must resist steadfast in the faith. We must help each other to do that. That’s why meeting together is greatly needed. The bible exhorts us to not neglect church attendance. Why? For one thing, the very danger this scripture addresses. We help each other to stand against the devil!
I know that some of you cannot attend a church right now, for various reasons, but if you can attend, and you have a good church to go to, you must not neglect it. It’s part of the way we stay steadfast in the faith. Isolation can be a bad thing. You don’t want to be like a weak, straggling antelope, running behind the pack. That’s who the predator likes to strike and kill. And make no mistake, the devil wants to kill you, to kill your soul, to kill your joy and peace, to tear you apart limb from limb and devour you. We better take heed right? Those antelope who get into the middle of the herd are much safer. And when you get into the middle of some faithful children of God, you are much safer. This is for your spiritual life.
I have read that one of the qualities of a lion is their incredible patience as they wait for just the right time to strike their prey. Lions practice strategic hunting techniques that require them to bide their time. They may lie in wait for hours, observing movements and gauging the best moment to strike.
So it is with our Enemy. He might wait, not just for hours, but for days and years, for just the right time to pounce. This is the reason that God exhorts us to be alert, and "steadfast" in our faith. That means constant prayer and guarding against temptations.
I need to ask, are you doing these things? Are you alert to the temptations and tactics of the devil? Are you attending church if you can? Are you picking up that shield of faith by reading the word of God daily? If you are, you are prepared and will be victorious. If not, you are in grave danger, danger, danger. Change your ways at once. We have a cunning, vicious foe. Your eternal soul is at risk, your happiness in this world too, and your children and friends too.
This is not something for us to just brush over or pass it by because we have heard this before.
These are more dangerous times than ever, and we don't know how much worse it may get before Jesus returns.
And just more thing for today. Knowing that the devil is seeking to devour us, let’s pray for each other often. We need each other in the body of Christ. Your pastor needs your prayers. Your family members, your friends, your fellow church members, they all need your prayers. They are all fighting the fight of faith too. And let's be patient with each other, forgiving each other. You don’t know what war with the devil someone is waging at the moment. And the enemy loves to sow discord in the ranks. He can destroy and devour many through bitterness. Listen to this:
“ Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord, looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness spring up to trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;” ( Heb 12;14-15)
Get rid of bitterness, it is a weapon of the devil. And it devours a soul. Bitterness is a devil's disease that devours a soul.
Now, let’s all rejoice that we have the victory over the lion. Faith shuts his mouth. Love makes him walk off in disgust. Praising God hurts his ears and he has to slink off into the forest. Knowing and being obedient to the scriptures cripples him. Jesus gave us the victory, but we must keep walking by faith. Thank God, Jesus gave us power to tread on scorpions, and over all power of the Enemy, and yes, to defeat the roaring lion. Amen.
