Temptation
Chewed Up and Spit Out
Do you ever feel like you’re eaten up with sin? Or can you look back to a time when you succumbed to temptation and Satan “chewed you up and spit you out”? If so, no doubt you praise Christ for being the victor over the devil who prowls like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8) Yes, Satan is the great pretender. He prowls like a roaring lion but he isn’t a lion. He mimics everything about Christ because he is insanely jealous that Christ is Lord, not him. The true lion? The genuine, real deal lion? Jesus is, as Revelation 5:5 explains.
“Behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.”
Jesus’ title, Lion of Judah, is traced to Genesis 49:9 when Jacob blessed his son, Judah, and referred to him as a young lion.
Christ is traced to this noble tribe of Israel. Rather than being a “young lion,” however, or a fictional lion king movie character, Christ’s title designates Jesus as the true Lion King, the noblest and most powerful One. As Revelation 5:5 states, Christ has overcome all, even death. He’s our Lion King. Give praise to Him and turn to Him when Satan nips at your heels.
Lord Jesus Christ, LION OF JUDAH, we worship You! Thank You for all You have done to defeat Satan and secure our salvation. Move in us increasingly so we are aware of Your presence and power.
Would you like to learn more about standing firm and resisting the devil, especially in the times in which we live? Watch Debbie’s teaching on 1 Peter 5 HERE or listen to it HERE. You can also purchase her whole Bible study on 1 Peter HERE.
Keep Your Foot on the Pedal
Do you often fall for temptation? I seem to be a glutton for it. Temptation reminds me of a sign I saw one day when approaching a small town that boasted it was the “playground of the area.” As I drove into the city, however, I didn’t see that anything that matched the alluring sign’s description. Satan is a lot like that sign. He places temptation before us and boasts it will give us pleasure. But if we’re wise, we’ll act on 1 Corinthians 10:13 that tells us “no temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.” In other words, we’re to keep our foot on the pedal and take God’s escape.
Heavenly Father, forgive us when we keeping walking into temptation instead of stopping, turning, and taking your way of escape. Help us be more mindful of what we’re doing and walk more closely by Your Spirit.