8 Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour. 9 But resist him, be firm in your faith [against his attack—rooted, established, immovable], knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being experienced by your brothers and sisters throughout the world. [You do not suffer alone.]

1 Peter 5:8-9 (AMP) 中文 

More on suffering

Peter has just told us to be humble, for God opposes the proud but shows favor to (gives grace to) the humble (v5). And when we humble ourselves, God exalts us (v6). In these verses he continues the pride theme (the devil fell due to pride) that’s been running for a few verses now and ties it back into suffering. He inserts a brief instruction about the devil and our need to resist him (and his demons).

Be alert

He first brings up the devil and his mission to devour the saints. We need to be alert, constantly vigilant – knowing our enemies’ tactics and using the armor of God to do spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:10-17) against him. He is described as a roaring lion. Though he is like a lion and can tempt us and harm us, he is a created and finite creature, as we are. He is not omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent as God is. Yet he does wield much more power than us.

And the devil is on a chain and his time of stealing, killing and destroying (John 10:10) is coming to an end.  “For Christians, Satan is a lion who may roar but who has been de-fanged at the cross (Colossians 2:15). Yet the sound of his roar – his deceptive lies – are still potent and he has the power to devour souls and rob Christians of effectiveness.” (enduringword.com) So he does not do all this work against us, but commands his legions of demons to do the work. 

Resist the devil

We are to resist the devil. James tells us the same thing and adds that we should first submit to God and after we resist the devil he will flee. “Submit therefore to God. But resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7). Peter then adds a call to be firm in our faith. Firm as in immovable, like a rock. We should be, “taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” (Ephesians 6:16) 

Tie to suffering

Finally he turns back to suffering and says these attacks by the enemy are suffering. And encourages us to take heart for there are fellow followers of Christ all over the world experiencing the same attacks and suffering likewise. I like how AMP summarizes with, “You do not suffer alone.”

RЯeflection

• Are we staying alert to the attacks of the devil? Do we keep up the armor of God or is it sitting in a closet somewhere? If we don’t wear it, we’re sure to be injured. Is the enemy even attacking you right now as he is me, through his demons?
• Take courage in suffering, even when attacked by the enemy. As the AMP puts it, “you’re not alone in your suffering.” And, we know that our Saviour was also attacked and indeed suffered. He also abides with us and in us.