Whom May he Devour?

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour: (1Pe 5:8)

Why does satan want to “devour” me? First, because I am made in the image of God and he wants to deny God His creation and desire. Second, because God granted dominion over His creation to me and if I am subject to satan, so then is everything in my life and destiny.

But the verse above reveals to me that satan cannot simply devour me because he wills to. The phrase “seeking whom he may devour” means he must be given permission. And the only one who can give it to him is me.

…the curse without cause shall not come. (Pro 26:2)

If I, by my choices and actions, become subject to satan, I can no longer be subject to God. Therefore, God cannot use me to accomplish His purpose in my life and, by extension, His creation. And this is about more than sin. Certainly any willful, unconfessed, unrepentant sin in my life will give place to the devil, but his capacity to “devour” me goes well beyond that.

If I place satan-caused physical needs, daily survival, dwindling finances, failing relationships, health concerns etc. before God’s Kingdom in my life, I have been devoured and GOD CANNOT USE ME.

If I place satan-caused emotional needs, love, fear, depression, pride etc. before God’s Kingdom in my life, I have been devoured and GOD CANNOT USE ME.

If I compromise with the enemy in any way to achieve, enlarge, or expedite God’s Kingdom purpose in my life, I have been devoured and GOD CANNOT USE ME.

These three attacks represent the same temptations employed against Christ in the wilderness and they remain satan’s primary strategy against His body (the church) today. The solution: I must stop making it easy for satan to devour me and my authority. I need to follow the Lord’s example and examine myself daily to see if I am truly putting His Kingdom first.

Maybe if more of God’s children understood this, the world would not be satan’s playground today.

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong on behalf of them whose heart is fully His. But in this you have acted foolishly: therefore you shall have conflict.
(2Ch 16:9)