We are not helpless before the enemy. We can resist Satan by being “strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might” (Eph. 6:10)…Moreover, we do not stand alone…We have a brotherhood. Our union with Christ also unites us to His people. The roaring lion preys on the isolated, but the flock that stays together under the Chief Shepherd’s care is guarded. Christ uses the means of grace in the local church and the communion of saints to preserve His people from the jaws of the enemy. Above all, we must put our trust in the Good Shepherd who protects His flock. 

In a weighty verse near the end of his first epistle, the Apostle Peter issues a stirring call to spiritual vigilance. This comes immediately after his exhortation to exercise humility toward one another and toward God (1 Peter 5:5–7). Turning from inward humility to outward alertness, Peter warns the church of a present and dangerous enemy: the devil himself (v. 8).

Peter describes not a mythical being but a real and personal foe. One of the greatest errors that we can make in the Christian life is to underestimate the power of Satan. Although the devil is a creature and not omnipotent, omniscient, or omnipresent—attributes possessed by God alone—he is also a formidable adversary who can cause great damage to believers. In fact, the term that Peter uses for “adversary” (Greek antidikos) has a legal connotation, describing an opponent in court. It reminds us that Satan is the great accuser of God’s people (Rev. 12:10). For example, in Zechariah’s vision, the devil stood beside Joshua the high priest, whose clothes were soiled, and accused him of his sins to discredit him (Zech. 3:1). Likewise, Satan accuses us of sin, seeking to cripple us with doubt and despair. This is entirely different from the ministry of the Holy Spirit. When the Spirit convicts us of our sin, He points us to Christ, producing in us repentance, greater faith, and a renewed desire for grateful obedience. Satan, on the other hand, tries to drive us away from the cross of Christ so that we will wallow in our shame and defeat. Peter says that Satan “prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). The imagery is vivid and terrifying. His roar may take the form of accusation, persecution, false teaching, or the deceptive voice of temptation. Whatever the form, his aim is always the same: to oppose Christ by attacking the church. The devil is not idle. He is restless, cunning, and cruel. Like a lion stalking its prey, Satan watches for the vulnerable, the isolated, and the careless. He seeks not merely to tempt but to devour—to destroy faith, sow division, and lead souls into ruin.

For this reason, Peter gives us two imperatives: “Be sober-minded” and “be watchful.” These commands appear throughout the New Testament (see also Matt. 26:41; 1 Thess. 5:6; 2 Tim. 4:5) and suggest a state of mental clarity and spiritual alertness.

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