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1 Peter 5:9
“Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.”
Satan, the chief enemy of God and His people, goes about like a roaring lion, looking for those whom He may devour (1 Peter 5:8). His roar is the persecution inflicted on the church, designed to scare us into denying the faith so that we can escape danger to life and limb. Escaping the wrath of those who would persecute us by denying Christ does not bring us lasting safety. Instead, that is a leap into the jaws of Satan, since committing final apostasy means that we will not enjoy everlasting life in the blessed presence of God (2 Peter 2:1).
We dare not underestimate the power of the devil and his ability to deceive even the maturest Christian, for he can disguise himself as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14). In ourselves, we cannot thwart his plans. Thankfully, if we trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, we are on His side. He is not like Satan, who puts on the face of a lion but is ultimately smaller than a kitten before the “Lion of the tribe of Judah,” our Savior who has conquered and is worthy to open the seals of God’s judgment on the earth (Rev. 5:5). When we rest in Jesus and persevere in trusting Him, Satan’s schemes cannot prevail against us. Dr. R.C. Sproul comments: “We are no match for Satan, but once we are equipped with the whole armor of God, Satan is no match for us. This stalking, roaring, threatening lion will flee with his tail between his legs.”
The solution to the threat of Satan, then, consists in remaining firm in the faith, steadfastly resolved to confess Christ even if doing so brings us great pain in this life. Peter tells us this truth in today’s verse (1 Peter 5:9). The word translated as “resist” conveys the idea not of standing still but of active engagement. Resisting the devil requires active ongoing trust in God’s promises and doing all that we can to strengthen our faith. Attending to the ordinary means of grace—the Word of God read and preached, the sacraments, and prayer—is key here. But we also cannot forget to take part in regular Christian fellowship and service. Only through relationships with other believers can we encourage and build up one another (1 Thess. 5:11).
Peter also wants us to remember that any suffering we experience for Jesus is not unique. Others throughout the world have gone through the same kinds of things and worse (1 Peter 5:9). Remembering their endurance can help us persevere as well.
Coram Deo Living before the face of God
By the Holy Spirit, we can resist the devil as we continue to trust in Jesus. Moreover, the more that we know Christ, the easier it will be to trust Him. Thus, we must be striving to grow in our faith, studying the Word of God, praying, attending corporate worship regularly, and so forth. If we are not growing in our knowledge and love of Jesus, it will be difficult to remain firm in the faith and resist the devil.
For further study
- Zechariah 3:1–5
- Ephesians 6:10–18
- 2 Timothy 2:24–26
- James 4:7
The bible in a year
- Job 3–6
- Acts 7:35–8:3