All growl... a scared lion!

It's been an interesting 24 hours.

I went from bragging on God's goodness to my husband in teaching him to play the piano in an amazing way on an old piano that no one wanted, to sitting in the ER with him waiting to see what had happened to his right thumb… yeah, a thumb needed to play piano for the glory of God. (It's ok, because God's gonna use this for Matt's good… read on)

A host of other little things happened as well. You know, just the kind of things that satan likes to throw into the mix when you're feeling a little discouraged just to make sure you know he's still there.

I woke up this morning with a mess of things going "wrong" and really just thought about taking Maddy to school and then just going back to bed. But instead, I thought on God for awhile. I thought on the amazing church service we had yesterday morning.

Then I remembered a few things our Pastor said while preaching his fourth sermon in a series called "The Movement" about Daniel. Pastor Nick shared that he had once heard another pastor say that the devil may be a lion roaming to and fro, but he's a lion without teeth. Basically, all growl and no bite. He might be able to bite down and "gum" you but he can't really bite you. I thought on this for a little while this morning as I was eating my oatmeal.

I literally felt like my heart was thumping out of my chest with pride as I thought about what "satan lion" really looks like to me this morning because God and his army (that's all of us who believe and follow Him). It's much different than what I had pictured before.

For some reason, I pictured him as a strong, healthy lion with muscles and giant teeth that he flashed at me all the time to scare me and keep from doing what God wanted. Here I am this morning, though, seeing satan as a pretty beat up beast….

I see him with no teeth; no way to tear me apart.

I see him with spots of hair missing; hair that I have pulled out as I yanked him off of my family through prayer.

I see him with swollen black eyes; the eyes I punch when he's throwing out his lies to my face.

I see him limping; limping from the church knocking his legs right out from under him by joining in corporate prayer to see healing and restoration to those he has attacked.

I see him skinny with his ribs showing; so frail from the lack of a feast of victory because God always wins. Period.

The Bible tells us in James 4:7 to resist the devil and he will flee. I don't think I have ever really grasped the power in that verse until now. It tells us to submit ourselves to God and then when we resist the devil, he's gonna leave…. FLEE. What does flee mean? Merriam-Webster defines it this way: "to run away from danger"… ha! Just picture it! You have the ability by submitting yourself to God and His ways to make the devil run, not casually walk away from, BUT RUN because he senses danger… just by resisting him!!! That's a beat up, scared lion running away from you!!!!!!!!!

I say this with warning though. Satan is a sly guy. He wants to attack our minds and get our focus off of submitting to God. Remember if you are submitted your gonna be able to make him run away scared and not allow him to stay around filling your mind up with filth and feelings of worthlessness and doubt. Don't let your guard down just because he's a pretty weak, sad looking, already defeated foe. He wants to distract us so that we don't work to win anyone else into God's kingdom… he might be beaten up but he keeps fighting for that losing case of his.

BE ON GAURD! STAY SUBMITTED AND AWARE OF GOD'S DIRECTIONS!!! RESIST HIM SO HE WILL FLEE!!! 

And remember this last little bit of goodness from Pastor Nick's sermon: Daniel's enemies thought they were setting him up for death and defeat by having King Darius sign a decree banning Daniel from praying to his God. They thought they would do away with him. But all they did was set Daniel up for prosperity and a promotion. Daniel stayed submitted to God. Daniel 6:28 tells us that Daniel prospered! Not only that, but King Darius made a new decree declaring his kingdom was to reverence and fear the God of Daniel.

As Pastor Nick said, "It's a set up!! God's plan is always victorious!"

Remember it's a set up of a different kind. Satan thinks he's setting you up for failure and defeat. But really, he's setting you up for the miracles of God to be performed so that you can prosper and grow.

I hope you are encouraged today to stop picturing yourself as the beat up warrior and instead see satan as a beat up lion who runs scared when you resist him and call upon God! I know that some days it feels like we are nothing more than satan's chew toy, but remember the decree (a good, true revelation) that King Darius had…

 "…For He is the living God,
And steadfast forever;
His kingdom is the one which
shall not be destroyed,
And His dominion shall endure to the end.
He delivers and rescues,
And He works signs and wonders
In heaven and on earth,
Who has delivered Daniel
from the power of the lions." -Daniel 6:26-27