Lions!!

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.

1 Peter 5:8 

 

Every day for a week the villagers came to the Chief complaining about their missing goats.  The Chief was perplexed so he decided to go talk with the Wise Woman.  The Wise Woman listened, thought for a moment, and said, "The Lion knows where your goats are tied."  

 

Guess what?  Our enemy knows where every single one of our weaknesses (call them goats) and will use them to try to devour us when we give in to them.  Are you tempted toward anger? Our enemy will put you in situations where you will get angry.  Are you tempted toward bitterness?  Our enemy will gear situations where you will feel bitter toward others.  Like the lion, our enemy knows where our "goats" are tied.  He's been a lion a long, LONG time and is extremely good at his lioning.

 

Jesus said, "Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!" (Matthew 26:41).  When we pray, we ask God to protect us from our enemy. We can not focus on our conversation with God if our minds are elsewhere tip toeing into temptation.  Peter is correct, when you sense a temptation....GET AWAY FROM IT!!!  Whether we are willing to admit it or not, we know where we are weak and easily tempted, and the best course of action is to run fast and hard to God!