When you encounter a lion in the wild, how should you respond? According to prevailing advice, you should stand your ground. Do not run but retreat slowly. If the lion charges at you, you should remain standing while yelling as loudly as possible and raising your hands. If the lion attacks, you should remain standing and endeavor to strike him in the eyes or forehead, by punching or kicking.

This advice sounds remarkably similar to the advice given to Christians by Peter in 1 Peter 5:8-9. " Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world." What can we learn from these verses?

Be Observant

Life in this world is more like hiking through the African savanna than strolling through a zoo. At the zoo, the lions live within the confines of their designated spaces at a safe distance from the public, separated by walls, windows, pits and fences. On the savanna, however, the lions roam free. There are no walls and fences.

Life in this world is more like hiking through the African savanna than strolling through a zoo.

If you take a safari through the savanna, you should pay careful attention to your surroundings. Lions may be resting or stalking in the tall grass at any time, quietly blending into their surroundings, only visible to the most observant eyes. The same is true for the Christian going about his or her daily life in this world. We should live in a sober and vigilant way. The word sober means to be "self-controlled and alert." This emphasizes the need to remain in full control of your mental powers of observation. The word vigilant means to be "watchful," emphasizing the need to remain awake and not to fall asleep.

Be Aware of the Devil

As you journey through life, it is easy to lose focus and to stop paying attention. But there is someone who may be focusing on you at any time, and that is the devil. He is your adversary. This word resembles what we call a prosecuting attorney today. As such, he is working hard to disable you and to prevent you from following Jesus.

He Roars

He is also like a roaring lion, but what does this mean? After all, lions don't roar when they're hunting. They hunt in a quiet and stealthy manner. Lions roar for a different reason. They roar (especially at sunrise and sunset) to establish the boundaries of their territory. The roar of a lion is one of the most frightening sounds in nature and a full-throated roar may be heard up to 5 miles (or 8 kilometers) away. The purpose of this roar is to say, "Stay away, this is my territory. If you come any closer, I will attack."

You live in the devil's world. Paul calls him the "god of this world" (2 Cor 4:4). The presence of Christian believers unnerves him. The gospel threatens him and the church makes advances on his territory. That is why he roars. He roars to strike fear in the hearts of those who follow Christ.

He Devours

When Satan roars, you should calmly stand your ground. Refuse to run and refuse to panic, just as you should do when you encounter a real lion in his natural habitat. If you show that you're afraid, then he may take steps to attack and devour you. When you allow this to take place, he will do more than inflict injury upon you, but he will inflict injury on the church as well. That's why Peter tells us to "resist him."

Stand Firm

The word resist means to "stand in your place and push back strongly." On what basis should you do this and with what resources? You should do this not with armed force or belligerent methods, but with a calm and firm reliance on the doctrines of the Christian faith. That's what "the faith" refers to - not so much the faith that you exhibit in your heart, but the object of your faith, which is the truth about Jesus Christ revealed in Scripture.

Don't let your feelings overwhelm you. Don't forget what you've been taught. And yes, you should realize that you are not experiencing an extra-special challenge that no one else has faced. You are encountering the same kind of suffering and misfortune that your brothers and sisters are experiencing throughout the world. And that is how the the devil roars. He threatens you with suffering and hardship for following Christ, and sometimes this suffering actually takes place.

Don't let your feelings overwhelm you. Don't forget what you've been taught.

The "roar" is the prospect of suffering, and the loudest roar is the suffering itself. This suffering will not devour you, however, if you firmly stand your ground, relying on the doctrine of Christ revealed in Scripture, just as other fellow believers are doing throughout the world. Remember what Scripture teaches and respond accordingly, no matter how afraid you may feel.

As we prepare to move forward into another year, keep a sharp mind and a keen eye on sound, biblical doctrine. You can hear the "roar" of the prospect of suffering. Will you run from following the Lord? Or will you take steps further into the devil's world, showing the love of Christ and being a witness for the gospel? What would it take for you to run away and what do you know and believe that will enable you to stand your ground with a clear mind?