"Once I Was Attacked by a Lion"

Pastor Mike is a bi-vocational pastor in Botswana. During the week, he works for a safari company scheduling and setting up tours. On a recent mission trip to Africa, I sat with him under a magnificent canopy of trees, complete with a family of monkeys swinging overhead, as we shared coffee and he told stories of his years as a wilderness guide. 

He and his team lead many groups into the bush for extended trips. For 9-12 days at a time,  they would meander through the preserve, camp outside, and endure the elements. At night they set up tents and drifted off to sleep in the home of lions and hippos, rhinos and crocodiles. 

“How many attacks did you witness?” I wondered out loud. I have a knack for asking questions even (especially) when the answers terrify me. 

His face showed tension and hesitancy, like he knew I didn’t really want to know. 

Finally he said, “Once I was attacked by a lion.” 

I sipped my coffee and leaned in. 👂

I was ready for a “David Livingstone”-type story of African proportions. 

Given the green light, by a very green and eager American, he wasted no time sharing.

 “I was asleep one night when I awoke to a lion’s roar. It felt as though it was right above me. I instantly woke up, but could not move. I was paralyzed by fear. One wrong move, one breath and I knew the lion would bound through my tent.” He spoke with urgency, like he was still in the tent.  

My heart was racing at this point.

“I closed my eyes,” I looked at his wife, who was laughing now, and heard him say, “That is the time I was attacked by a lion…and I never spent another night as a guide.”  

We all howled at how he had fooled us, and how the lion had fooled him. It had sounded so close, so terrifying. But in reality, it posed no threat to him.

Last week, as I was in prayer, I recalled that story and felt the impression that God’s people had been attacked by a lion the same way. It was a perceived attack. Our enemy, the devil, has not sunk his teeth, or broken through our camp. But the sound of him has caused us to be paralyzed by fear, to be addicted to fear, to be ruled by fear, to respond in fear, to live in fear, and to neglect our post out of fear. 

There is a place where we must recognize the dangers and schemes of the enemy around us so that we don’t give way to temptation and fear. But that is the extent of our passive examination. The rest is meant to cause us to both rest in our inheritance and identity as children of God, and to be active against the schemes of the enemy through prayer. 

1 Peter 5:8 says, “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.”

He is like a roaring lion, which is enough to scare some of us. And if we fall into his trap then he truly has devoured us and all that we are: our identity, our gifting, our calling, our assignment, our purpose, our joy, and our inheritance in Christ Jesus. 

How do we combat this? 🥊

1. Take your position. We don’t have to fight for victory, because Christ already did! Our enemy is defeated. Jesus says, “...Take heart, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) He also said, “The prince of this world has no hold on me.” (John 14:33)  We need to declare His victory and His blood over and into every place of fear since we also have risen with Christ and are heirs to His authority. 

2. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. (James 4:7) This includes his statements of fear, death, hopelessness, and anxiety. Take these thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ’s words for and about your future. 

3. Stay alert and sober minded. This means to be cool, calm and collected. It also means to stay awake in peace. When we are watchful in fear we perceive differently than when we are watching from a position of victory. Ephesians 5:14-15 says, 

"Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead,  and Christ will give you light.

 So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise."

The enemy wants to distract with fear. He wants you to be constantly in fear about a coming attack in your camp. But you are warring women of the Most High God. The enemy is not allowed in your camp. Be confident of the one who has defeated death so that you will LIVE in the fullness of God. 🙌

Take some time with the Lord this week and ask: 

What am I afraid of? 

Where does the enemy get more of my attention than my Savior, Jesus? 

What would I do, where would I go, how would I live, if I weren’t afraid? 

~ Erin Arruda, Worthy Content Writer