Run Towards The Roar

Ready!

“Be sober! Be on the alert! Your adversary, the devil is prowling around, like a roaring lion, looking for someone he can devour” -1 Peter 5:8.

I have a relative the trains for marathon’s he tells me that before the marathon he gets pre-run anxiety. A variety or things come into his mind -whether or not he will finish, if he will have enough energy.

Set!

I once heard an analogy, that tells when male lions get old, their teeth will begin to rot, and they are unable to kill animals as easily. In order to get food, they recruit female lions and younger stronger makes to help them. When the lions get ready to hunt, the effective killers go hide on one side of the herd while the big old lion goes to the other side. Once he’s in position, he lets out a massive roar that send the herd running in the opposite direction…just where the female and younger male lions are.

According to Scripture, our enemy is like a “roaring lion.” But that says to me. He is a deceiver who has bad teeth, and a big roar. All he can do is lie to us, just like an old lion. And in fact, we would actually be better off running towards the roar -that very thing that frightens us – rather than away from it.

Over and over, Jesus told His followers “do not to fear.” It is one of His most popular commands. The Bible further tells us that any spirit of fear we experience is not from God at all (2 Timothy 1:7). While we should pay attention to what our fears communicate to us, that there is a need for caution, that we need to trust the Lord, that we need to pray. If we believe what God says in His Word, we don’t have to let those fears determine our direction.

Try to “towards the roar” and face what the enemy wants you to fear. You have God’s strength, power and victory locked in you already, so rest in knowing that He’ll take you beyond the empty threats of the enemy – that old, tooth decayed lion.

Go!

• What scares you?
• While some fear is of the Lord, much of it is from our enemy. Is it from God or from Satan?
• What do you need to do in order to be able to “run towards the roar” today?

John 8: 42-48 (NIV). “I have not come on my own; if God were your Father, you would love me, because I have come to you from God. I am not here on my own; God sent me. Why is my language of clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I’m telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear me is that you don’t belong to God.”

That’s a tough one to read. But, Jesus never mixed his words, he said it like it was.

Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT). Don’t worry about anything; Instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He does. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”