We see memes declaring, “Not today Satan,” and see cartoons with little red horned characters whispering in one ear while our angelic conscious sits on the other shoulder counter-acting the bad advice with good directions. We see kids dressed up as little devils at Halloween carrying pitchforks. This is exactly how the enemy would love for us to see him - fun and dangerously devilish, playfully tempting us to do something wrong that makes us feel good and a little bit rebellious.
Make no mistake, that is not an accurate picture of our enemy. He is not foolish enough to look like an evil buffoon, easily defeated by tiny cherubs floating around on white clouds. Let’s read what two passages tell us about the enemy of our souls.
“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10
Satan, the enemy of our souls is prowling like a lion. He isn’t just looking for someone to scare, he’s looking for someone to devour whole, encircling their areas of influence and consuming them wholesale. But this is a pretty big job so he must be sneaky, like a thief who comes in the middle of the night and surprises the inhabitants of the house. He comes to steal your identity, kill your joy, and destroy healthy relationships. 2 Corinthians 11:14 tells us that, “Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light” and 11:15 says, “his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness.” The enemy is crafty and often comes to us in ways that seem enlightened, inviting, and fulfilling.
To defeat the enemy, you must know the enemy. Let’s become more solemn about the enemy of our souls so we can recognize him when he is on the prowl and use the power of the cross to defeat Him in Jesus name.