Swept Away by Grace—A Study in I Peter (part 23)—When Satan Roars
I Peter 5: 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
Roaring Lion? Do we know Satan as such? After all, were he to come at me roaring; I would see the danger, right? I am so aware of Satan’s hissing, whispering sounds of a lying snake. How often have I heard His hissing questions? “What makes you think God could love you, look at you?” or “Surely God could never use someone like you.” Or “Do you really believe that is what God has said?” Or “If God really loved you, He would never have allowed the suffering in your life?” And so the whisperings of Satan go, planting seeds of doubt and feelings of despair; promising that we might have greater joy if we would just………. But roaring?
How does Satan roar? He encircles us with pain. Pacing around us with evil, tragedies, destruction, illness, rejection, and despair. Roaring as he circles—pacing, roaring while inciting fear and doubt. As, he roars “Where is your God, now?” He cloaks himself with the image of Christ as the Lion of Judah; yet, instead of being the protector, he roars forth with anger and suffering until our hearts would faint and our faith would vanish. So how can we ever resist stedfast in faith? How could that ever be possible? “I don’t have enough faith to withstand such an attack?” is our cry. What are the keys to a faith that will overcome such attacks?
Peter answers that very question with: “10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.11 To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”
1. Key #1: Remember the God of ALL GRACE. Whatever suffering or trial you are in—it is a gracious act of God that has permitted it. Just as God allowed Satan to test the faith of Job, tempt Peter to deny Christ, and to buffet Paul; God, allows the trial of our faith. Yet, as we remember the truth of His Grace toward us; our faith will grow. When we focus on the Grace, we focus on the beauty of the gifts of love in the midst of every storm. Let me give you an example of just that. In the year 1999, I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and by 2000 as I began my career as a nurse practitioner it became so severe that no amount of steroids or medications could control it. Every morning I awoke at 4 am with pain that was so severe and kept me in the bathroom every 15 minutes with bloody stools—the pain was excruciating. Between each trip to the bathroom, I would sit in a recliner in the sitting room which I had made in my large walk-in closet off of my bedroom and there I prayed and studied my Bible. There in my prayer room, I found strength, hope, faith, and comfort. I learned how to hear God’s voice in the midst of a terrible storm. There in that sanctuary, despite the pain; I felt the arms of God sustaining me and loving me. To this day, I get up very early to begin my day—alone with God. He is my strength, my joy, and my greatest treasure. He took Satan’s roaring rage and in His Grace used it to give me the greatest gift ever-a close intimate relationship with Him.
2. Key #2: Remember that if you know Christ as Your Savior, You are His called. It was not by chance or any greatness on your part. You are God’s chosen, redeemed, saint (sanctified by the blood of Christ), Beloved Child of the most High God. Called by the Creator of the Universe to be showered with His Joy, His Love and His Glory. He has promised to never forsake you and that there is nothing on this earth that can separate you from His unconditional love for you. Whatever is going on at this moment, God has a plan to use it for your good. He can make it beautiful and that is His plan for you. Yet, a little while and He will strengthen you, establish your faith, and fill you with His peace even in the center of your storm. Example: October, 1978 I walked into the Doctor’s office that day with great hope and faith, I was singing God’s praise. Here I was a widow, in the midst of a grueling master’s program at Vanderbilt with two teenage boys at home that had already seen enough tragedy in their young lives—the biopsy would be most certainly negative. Then came the words, the biopsy is positive and this is a very aggressive form of breast cancer. Was God still there? Was this a punishment for my sins? Yes, He was there every step of that journey. No, it was not punishment; it was an act of love for I can never tell you how much I learned of His mercy, His love, His grace and His sovereignty in my life during the year that followed.
3. Key # 3: Remember that God is a Sovereign, Omnipotent, Omniscient God and Praise Him for who He is. When you keep your eye focused on Him in praise, every trial becomes a catapult to a deeper joy, hope and faith. Example: After the previous years of battling illness, widowed and having successfully begun my new career; in 2002 on a CAT Scan they found a mass on the head of my pancreas—I knew what that most likely meant. God, I knew was Sovereign and by now I had come to embrace that Sovereignty with a steadiness I had not before. Stoically, I would trust Him; even in my death because I knew He would provide the faith I needed. How could I fail in this—shoulders held high I marched on bearing my cross. Wasn’t that what faith was- then, it happened. I found joy in Him. Obviously He didn’t take me home then; but neither have I been free from the effects of years of illness. It wasn’t cancer this time.What did I learn? He is my Joy, my Hope and provides the faith I need when Satan tries to hiss and when Satan roars. I live today knowing, trusting and praising a God whom I trust to do whatever He wants with my life. I couldn’t have said that if I had not been so graciously given the faith needed, the joy that surpasses, and the love so unconditionally present which I learned because Satan roared in my life. Satan can circle and roar all he wants because I know who holds my hand and keeps Satan at bay.
As you remember this, sing along to this song—How Great Thou Art
©2014 Effie Darlene Barba
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