Defeating the Roaring Lion

Here we are, friends! Seeking God’s Word . . . eager for help to escape temptation. Warning! We have an enemy who’s at least as eager to prevent our success. How do I know? God’s Word. First Peter 5:8-9 (The Living Bible) says, “Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour.”

Yikes! That victim is me! That victim is you! Like it or not, we won’t succeed on this journey unless we take up the business of defeating the roaring lion who’s intent on destroying our plans.

Danger!

It’s no secret that Lions are powerful. Their claws can rip a victim apart with one swipe. Yet they knock down their prey, then bite the back of the neck to break it or suffocate their victim. They also hide in the brush or tall grasses while preparing to ambush their next meal. Sneaky, huh? Thank goodness, they only eat every four days.

Very similar to how the devil operates. He’s powerful (though not more than God). While looking for the opportune moment to ambush, he hides his presence. Then he charges in to knock us down and suffocate our efforts to abandon any sinful habit. Whether or not we fight back, he can be a real pain in the neck! If we defeat him–and with God’s help we can–he goes away. Often for days before he returns to to look for another opportunity.

Yikes! What are we supposed to do?

God’s Word offers several excellent ideas to defeat the roaring lion. Care to hear them?

Destroy Temptation

The first is: “Take a firm stand against him (resist the devil’s temptations with all our heart, mind, body, and the strength the Lord gives us), and be strong in [our] faith” 1 Peter 5:9 (TLB). So don’t just stand there and let him run you over like a truck. Take a firm stand! Be strong!

But what if the fight gets too tough and discouragement threatens? It’s time to remember! Insistent urges to eat more than our bodies need aren’t unique to us. Others struggle, too. But–and I love this, don’t you?–our “God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can’t stand up against it.” And this verse has more! “When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you will not give into it” 1 Corinthians 10:13 (TLB). How’s that for an amazing promise? It works away from home, too. You know. Those restaurants, others’ homes, family and class reunions, picnics, all-you-can-eat buffets, pot luck suppers . . . the list goes on.

What should we do? Pack those winning weapons from Step 5, and defeat the roaring lion. Also, be sure to thank God for both the winning weapons . . . and the victory.

Don’t get me wrong. I am aware the battle isn’t easy. Still, all I know is that, when applied, the winning weapons in Step 5 sharpened by God’s Word lead to defeating the roaring lion.

However, we do have to firmly decide to . . .

Stay the Course

“My child,” God says in his Word, “listen and be wise. Keep your heart on the right course (of freedom from gluttony) . . .” Eating too much can lead ” . . . to poverty, and too much sleep (from overindulging in food) clothes [gluttons] in rags” Proverbs 23:18 (New Living Translation). If not actual rags, then certainly spiritual rags. Every sin we commit stains the beautiful robe of righteousness given to us when we accept God’s free gift of salvation through the blood of Jesus. Thank goodness the Lord readily provides restoration when we confess our sin and ask his forgiveness.

Another way to stay the course is by encouraging ourselves with God’s Word. Like Proverbs 13:19 (New International Version). “A longing fulfilled (to be free from overeating and at a healthy weight) is sweet to the soul.” How cool is that? Yes! It is possible for our longing to be fulfilled. Defeating the roaring lion is not beyond our reach.

But oops! That same verse also says that “fools detest turning from evil (their habit of eating too much).” Here’s where the firm resolve not to eat between meals helps us stay the course.

And how about those sneaky thoughts, those sudden urges to grab a snack. O-o-o, chocolate! Yum, crunchy chips! Ah, whatever the tempting snack is! How can we stay the course against sneaky snack attacks? Isaiah 55:7 (TLB) says, “Banish from [our] minds the very thought of doing wrong.” Yes! Block those thoughts of food the moment they appear. Stay the course, defeating the roaring lion.

Finally, it also helps to . . .

Power Up with “No” and “Thank You”

Though we’re not really hungry, the urge to eat attacks. We want to get up from your chair or bed or leave some activity to head for the refrigerator or cookie jar. Jesus has the answer. He said, “I am the bread of life. [She] who comes to me (instead of her refrigerator or other food sources) will never go hungry” John 6:35 (NIV). When those urges come, we need Jesus. Not more food.

It’s time to be prudent, Act with care for our future and avoid danger. “The prudent (God-honoring eater) sees danger (something that lead to eating too much) and takes refuge (in the Lord), but the simple (that is, overeaters) keep going and suffer for it” Proverbs 27:12 (NIV).

Suffer is right! Eating more than we need delivers a boatload of suffering, including getting fat, depressed, criticized, laughed at, ridiculed, feeling guilty and helpless. We embarrass ourselves and sometimes our children. The habit of eating can even destroy our health.

Sad to say, I’ve been there, done that. How much better life is when we look for strength from the Lord and just say “no!”

He so sweetly offers supporting love. “When I said, ‘My foot is slipping [into overeating],’ your love, O Lord, supported me.” Ps 94:18 (NIV). God can’t make the picture more clear, can he? Yes, when tempted, we can cry out to him, and he will come along side to help us defeat the roaring lion.

Each time we succeed, we can declare as King David did, “I thank you for answering my prayer and giving me the victory!” Psalm 118:21 (NLT). Yes, thank you, Lord, for answering our prayer and giving us victory in defeating the roaring lion!

A Brief Story

After eating a big meal–especially one topped off by a delicious dessert my body didn’t need–I’d always fall sleep. What was the problem? No matter what time of day or how well I slept the night before. It just didn’t make sense.

Right after our big Thanksgiving meal, I was the only one who fell asleep. While the rest of the women did dishes and cleaned up after dinner, I snored. In Mom’s family room in the midst of a house full of relatives. Not on purpose. But by the time I woke up, they had finished. How embarrassing!

I confess that scenario hasn’t changed through the years. Every time I eat too much, whether alone or in the midst of company, I fall asleep. For me, the only way to avoid this problem is by eating a modest meal fit for the health of my body. Yes, eating in obedience to the Lord’s guidance.

It’s also the only way I’ve lost weight in the past without the stress of dieting. For me, it’s the only way of defeating the roaring lion and reaching a healthy weight.

All praise and honor and glory to God.

What’s Next

So there we have it. What to takes to get serious about defeating the roaring lion. I hope you found these scriptures helpful. Next week we tackle Step 6: Maintaining the Victory. See you then!

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