There are few sounds as intimidating as the roar of a lion. I have never been face to face with a lion, but I have heard their roar from a distance, and I was convinced that they mean business, just by the sound they can produce. The roar gets the lion some well-deserved respect, because the beast making the roar can definitely back it up with some serious destruction. The lion isn’t called the king of the jungle for no reason. I can only imagine the fear that sound strikes in a baby giraffe or impala. And isn’t that the point of the roar… to strike fear? I mean, there may be other things a roar communicates, but fear is certainly part of the mix regardless. Fear is a powerful force. It will cause an animal that is otherwise capable of defending itself to panic and freeze, or panic and run like the wind. This isn’t true only in the natural world. It is also a reality in the spiritual realm. When the apostle Peter wrote to the early Christians about the work of Satan in their lives, and how they should deal with him, he said, “Be serious! Be alert! Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. Resist him and be firm in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world.” (1 Peter 5:8-9) Notice that Peter used the imagery or a roaring lion when talking about the enemy of our soul. Perhaps you hear the roar of Satan in your life today. It may be that he is roaring about a doctor’s report you are soon to receive. Maybe it is a sin you committed, that while forgiven and cleansed from it, you sense it may come back to destroy your life. It could be any number of things that you fear, but that roar is so loud, it is all you can hear, and the breath of the enemy is so strong it is blowing back your hair. I want you to know a couple of things about the lion and his roar. A lion cannot roar and bite at the same time. I know that sounds simple… maybe so simple we forget it. For a lion to roar, his mouth must be open. For a lion to bite, his mouth must be closed. So if the lion (Satan) is roaring at you, he is not eating you. If you can remember that when you hear the roar, it may help you stay focused as you go on the attack and resist him. A lion’s vocal system is designed by God to be very effective. It is unlike most other animals. A lion’s roar is 25 times louder than a lawn mower engine to a person standing nearby. They have a fatty layer in their larynx where other animals and most humans have thinner and tighter ligaments. This means the air that comes through their vocal box has a much deeper sound because there is less tension in the vocal cords. The lack of tension at that point enables the sound to come forth more freely and loudly. Think tuba vs. flute. The roar of a lion is basically an unrestrained and mostly uncontrolled sound. It is all about getting attention. The enemy gets your attention through sheer volume. And that is often enough to send people into panic mode. Once you are panicking, you are dinner on the run. The difference in humans is that our sound is at a higher pitch because our vocal cords are designed to make a more focused sound. Think sparrow vs. sea lion. We have the ability and capacity to use our voices to praise, not just make whatever noise comes out of our lungs. Our praise is sweet to the ears of God, and dangerous to the enemy. Satan is not just scared of our sound, but of what comes with it. When you hear the roar of Satan, you may be very assured that the he cannot beat Jesus, but in the moment of fear you think he may be able to take you out. He has a roar. He has teeth. And he knows how to use both. Perhaps he is announcing himself in your life today. I encourage and challenge you with the words of Peter. Think on these things and how you can do them today when you hear the roar. · Be serious · Be alert · Resist him · Be firm in the faith If you will do these four things, you will not only be able to stand against your loud enemy, you will be able to put him to flight by the power of God. [Bible quotes are from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, unless otherwise noted.] Find more of David’s work at Heart Of Ministry. Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
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AuthorMy name is David, and I want to know God more, and help other people find Him. Archives
March 2019
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