Satan, the devil, our enemy, prince of darkness!

1. How to Tame the
Lion!
1 Pet. 5:7-9

4. How many of you have ever seen a
lion before?
What did you think? Was it scary?
● Now, if you were out in the jungle or
plains of Africa and you saw one running at
you, would you be scared then?
● How many of you believe you could
defeat a lion if one attacked you? Yet, with
proper training and time we are able to
tame them and teach them.

5. ● Today I would like for us to learn this
ability and how to effectively use it
everyday in our spiritual lives!
● We are not concerned with a physical
lion, but a spiritual lion that seeks to
destroy us!
● The Lion we are talking about is Satan!

6. 1 Pet. 5:7-9
● casting all your care upon Him, for He
cares for you. Be sober, be vigilant;
because your adversary the devil walks
about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he
may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the
faith, knowing that the same sufferings
are experienced by your brotherhood in
the world.

7. Satan is described in the Bible in
many different ways!
● He is cunning, crafty and subtle! (Gen. 3:1-6)
● He is the father of lies! (Jn. 8:44)
● He appears as angel of light! (1 Cor. 11:14)
● His number one goal is to “devour us!”
● He does this by trying to get us to give into
him!
● His trickery, his lying and deception are the
tools he uses!

8. Today we ask, how to tame the lion,
how to overcome temptation?
● We must first understand the “source” of all
temptation!
● Temptation comes from Satan and not from
God! (Js. 1:12-17) In Gen. 3 the source was
Satan, in Mt. 4 the source was Satan, Job 1 &
2 the source was Satan!
● Sin entered the world when man gave in to the
temptation of Satan! (Rom. 5:12)

9. I. The Source of Temptation!
The three avenues of sin! (1 Jn. 2:15-17)
●All of mankind is affected by temptation!
● Jesus was tempted (Mt. 4 cf. Heb. 4:15)
● Peter was tempted (denies the Lord 3 times)
● David was tempted (committed adultery & murder)
●Temptation comes in 1 or more of the 3 general
ways!
● Lust of flesh “it was good for food” (Gen. 3:6)
● Lust of eye “it was pleasant to the eyes” (Gen. 3:6)
● Pride of life “desired to make one wise” (Gen. 3:6)

10. We can either give into sin & flee from
God (Gen. 3) or trust God & cause Satan
to flee!
● Js 4:7-8 Therefore submit to God. Resist the
devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God
and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your
hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you
double-minded.
● Alone we suffer loss, with God we always win!
● 1 Jn. 4:4 & Phil. 4:13

11. II. The Subject of Temptation!
●It is important for us to understand that
temptation is common to man! (1 Cor.
10:13)
●How many of you have heard or maybe
even said “you just don't understand
how tough things are, you don't
understand what I am going through, if
you did you would see why I am living
the way I am”

12. ●Isn’t it sad that many try to reason away
why they are living in sin!
●Right in the middle of (1 Cor. 10:13) we
find that “God is faithful!” now do we believe
it or not? “There hath no temptation taken you
but such as is common to man: but God is faithful,
who will not suffer you to be tempted above that
you are able; but will with the temptation also make
a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it.”
●We have two choices to believe the lies of
Satan or to believe the promises of God!

13. III. The Subduing of Temptation!
Subdue = to overcome, to bring under control, to conquer!
●How to subdue temptation/ how to tame the
lion?
●Flight: The key to overcoming fleshly lust
“flee” from them!
● 1Cor 6:18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man
doeth is without the body; but he that committeth
fornication sinneth against his own body. 1Cor 10:14
Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.
● 2 Tim 2:22 Flee also youthful lusts:

14. The Three-fold Path to Subdue
Temptation!
●Flight! The need to flee!
●Faith! We need faith that God will take
care of us! (Mt. 6:33)
●Fight! We are engaged in a spiritual
battle and our opponent has been at this a
long time! (Eph. 6:10-18)

15. Conclusion:
● I do not know what temptation you may be
struggling with this morning, but one thing I do
know is that “if you are still breathing then you
are still battling!”
● The good news is that we can and must win!
This can only be done when we are fighting on the
right side and when we properly understand the
enemy!
● Have you learned to tame the lion, or has he
deceived you into believing that you can’t win?