The Lion in the Cage

"But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen." - 1 Peter 5:10-11 (NKJV)

In Chase the Lion, Mark Batterson tells a story about a woman named Bonnie Martin who was very discouraged with family issues, feeling defeated and beat up by the devil. She went to the zoo and saw a lion way back behind a cage. Feeling mischievous, she said, "Here, kitty, kitty, kitty, kitty, kitty." That lion rushed to the edge and let out a belting roar. She said it was as if electricity shot through her entire body - she felt like she was dying by electricity, it was so scary.

Batterson continues, "Bonnie learned from her guide that a lion's roar is meant to communicate dominance—to assert its authority in a territory. And the only thing that will silence a lion's roar is the roar of a more powerful lion. That's when Bonnie heard the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit:

'Bonnie, Satan walks around like a roaring lion looking to devour. But do you see that fence? That fence is the blood of Jesus, the blood of the Lamb. Satan may roar at you, but he cannot touch you. He is the one in a cage. You are the one that's free. But you have been living your life like you're the one in the cage and he is the one that's free.'" [Mark Batterson, Chase the Lion (Multnomah, 2016), 111.]

That's the victory we need to understand. As we do battle against the devil, we have a defeated foe that we're fighting. He's already been defeated. Colossians 2:15 says Jesus disarmed principalities and powers, making a public spectacle of them at the cross. In Genesis 3:15, God spoke to the serpent and said there's coming a day when the seed of the woman - Jesus - will bruise His heel (go to the cross), but He will crush your head, talking about Satan's authority.

Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil. He showed it time and time again while He walked this earth. When He left, His disciples were able to effectively do that in His name. In Jesus' name they could say, "I rebuke you, Satan. This person be delivered from the power of Satan in the name of Jesus."

Peter says God will perfect you (mend you like mending a net), establish you (make you resolute), strengthen you (give you vigor), settle you (lay a proper foundation). To Him - not to Satan, not to circumstances, not to your problems - to Jesus be the glory and the dominion forever and ever.

The victory is in Christ. Submit to God, resist the devil, and he will flee.

Reflection Question: Are you living like you're free and Satan is caged, or have you been living like Satan is roaming free and you're trapped?

Heavenly Father, thank You that Satan is a defeated foe. Help me to live with the understanding that he's the one in the cage, not me. When he roars to try to intimidate me, remind me that he can't actually get to me because I belong to Jesus. Thank You for the victory already won at the cross. Let me walk in that victory every day, knowing that to You belongs all glory and dominion forever and ever. In Jesus' Name, amen.

Adapted from "Victory Over Satan": https://www.joshfranklin.org/media/95gmbjy/23-victory-over-satan-1-peter-5-8-14