Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8

I felt the lion this morning he was there lurking, ready to pounce.  If I were to dare put my guard down for just a second he would have taken that opportunity to jump on me and devour, tearing me apart piece by piece, leaving me feeling broken and worthless.

The scripture from 1 Peter describes satan as a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. We could all be that person.  We all have our weak moments.  No matter how armored with God we may think we are, all it takes is a tiny moment of weakness for satan to slip in.  Lions are nocturnal, they are their most awake at night and early morning. In the night is when they are at their peak.  In the night is when they prowl around looking for unsuspecting pray.  In the night is when I am at my weakest, I am tired and the lion knows it.  He uses that against me, sneaking in catching me when I am unsuspecting and vulnerable.  In order to keep the lion at bay I must pray armoring myself with God until I fall asleep. When morning comes and I awaken the lion is still there. He is awake, he is ready to pounce, whispering to me I’m unworthy, filling my head with lies. He uses any tactic he can find to get me off to a bad start in my day. I have to stop him in his tracks. The only way I can stop him is by getting up early to begin dressing myself in God’s armor.  I begin by praying and reading my Bible, gradually putting on each piece of armor.  The more I talk to God I begin to feel the lion backing off until I am fully clothed in Him and protected.

I wish I could say the lion is gone for an afternoon, taking a nap but unfortunately lions lay around looking like they are sleeping but they are just dozing, hence the word “cat nap”.  Like the lion who is cat napping, satan always has one eye always open, always there on the prowl ready to pounce.  Thankfully satan always backs off when I am protected by God’s armor. I am finally starting to learn I can never turn my back or take even the smallest piece of it off.  I should always be on guard, fully armed with God and ready for battle.

Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. Ephesians 6:11