The Lion King and how to resist the devil...
I watched the movie "The Lion King" when I was a kid back in the 90s. I saw it showing on TV a few years ago and watched it again with my kids - they'd rather play Fortnite:) It wasn't until this morning that I realised that the movie is a picture of our salvation in Christ Jesus- how the devil accuses with the aim of placing the burden of guilt and condemnation on children of the King so he can reign over our inheritance and how a rightful king cannot reign unless that burden is removed.
Scar had a somewhat legal basis for accusing Simba: Mufasa did die in his bid save Simba, even though Scar orchestrated the entire incident. This is a picture of Satan orchestrating temptation. As it was with Simba who agreed to play a game with Scar without first telling his Father about it, confident in himself, Satan's temptations and subsequent accusation of guilt for what he tempts one to do is successful only on those who trust in themselves and rely on their own understanding. Proverbs 3 counsels us:
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not rely on your own understanding;
6 think about Him in all your ways,
and He will guide you on the right paths.
7 Don’t consider yourself to be wise;
fear the Lord and turn away from evil."
Simba didn't. He had no idea that hyenas and a stampede (those wildebeest that almost trampled he and Mufasa to death) that he was powerless against were in Scar's invitation to play- as many of us today do not. Sometimes, we see people like Evans the alleged murderer/kidnapper and tell ourselves: "I can never do that" or "I will always do that" or worse, accuse others of not trying hard enough because "If it was me, I would never do something like that." All based on human effort! This is not a good place to be for anybody because it gives Satan the opportunity ask for you to "sift you like wheat" as he did with Peter after Peter boasted that he would not deny Christ. You can be sure that God cannot lie. All who trust in their human effort to do right (the arm of flesh) will utterly fail when temptation comes, just like Peter. But there is something about the arm of flesh that wants to be relevant in the story of our salvation. That something is Pride. God's word says human effort (the arm of flesh) will fail, is powerless and cannot: Romans 7:18-
"For I know that nothing good lives within the flesh of my fallen humanity. The longings to do what is right are within me, but will-power is not enough to accomplish it."
But Pride in the arm of flesh (human effort at obedience) that will fail says: "No, I can. I still have some good in me. I can keep the law.”
Believer, never ever trust yourself. Of ourselves, there is no good in anybody. Satan has those who think that they can "at least" handle some temptations and can be good by their own power - those who do not see the weakness of fallen humanity and think they have some good in them - in his pocket, just as Scar did when he accused the grown Simba of killing his father. See the video:
Notice Scar pacing about in a circle accusing Simba in the middle? That is a picture of Satan going about like a roaring lion seeking whom to devour- accusing the believer of the guilt of sin. No amount of "I am not a murderer. I can explain" that Simba was squealing could achieve anything - the Law of Moses does not care about backstories, how it really wasn't your fault or how you lied to save a person from dying. Simba was partly responsible for Mufasa's death; even though Scar orchestrated the entire incident, Simba was guilty. Mufasa died because of him.
Notice that Simba could not fight under this burden of guilt that Scar his accuser forced on him the same way the one who is bogged down by the guilt of sin cannot resist Satan the accuser- a guilt that Christ died to take away for us?
Notice how the lionesses could not believe that Simba was responsible for Mufasa's death - as if they could have done any better if they were little Simba? This is the same way we look down on "core sinners" when we would have done worse had we been in their shoes! Scar (Satan) had no reason to tempt the lionesses the way he tempted Simba because they were not going to be king. Their own temptation was somewhere else- Scar enslaved them and they were too weak/afraid to fight until their saviour Simba showed up. Some people would look at the lionesses and say "Lazy people. But they should have fought, now."
In essence, to any who thinks some sins are beneath him, the reason why we are not committing particular sins is because God did not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear (1 Corinthians 10:12-13.)
Back to Simba who stood guilty based on the somewhat legal accusations of Scar the accuser: as long as one is weighed down by the burden of guilt and depends on his own efforts to make things right or explain why he did what he did, he has lost the warfare. He has no "weapons of our warfare:" remember 2 Corinthians 10:3-5:
“3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,”
“..according to the flesh” is simply “by human effort.”
Notice that we are fighting against strongholds (aka human reasoning) arguments and thoughts? Our warfare is not fought in some coven or mountain. It is in the mind where we analyse thoughts, reasonings and imaginations, usually based on what we hear. And we bring them into captivity to the obedience of Christ. But what is the obedience of Christ? We see this in Romans 5:19—
“By one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous.”
This is the weapon of our warfare: God's gift of righteousness to us in Christ. Romans 5:9 says:
"And there is still much more to say of His unfailing love for us! For through the blood of Jesus we have heard the powerful declaration, “You are now righteous in My sight.” And because of the sacrifice of Jesus, you will never experience the wrath of God."
God the Righteous Judge says you are "NOT GUILTY" because you believe in Jesus. Uncle Scar, a picture of Satan the accuser, was going about like a roaring lion seeking to kill (devour) Simba in the video, just as Satan the accuser is doing today- tempting people to sin, accusing believers of sins and trying to make you accept a "Guilty" verdict for your sins so that condemnation and judgment can follow. Satan the accuser succeeded with Judas who tried to make himself right with God via human effort at doing restitution.
As it is in any court of law, after a guilty verdict comes condemnation and judgment: death-row then death itself. Simba was guilty, even though Scar orchestrated the entire incident. He accepted his guilt. Satan the Accuser cannot just go about sentencing people. His name "Ha Satan" is literally "prosecutor at law" in Hebrew. Like any prosecuting attorney, his work is to accuse sinners of sins in a bid to get a guilty verdict so judgment can follow. And all have sinned:
Stand before God the Righteous in your own non-existent human effort at keeping the Law and face His full wrath, "For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are." Romans 3:20.
But stand before Him clothed in His righteousness purchased with the blood of Jesus and be guilt-free, "For through the blood of Jesus we have heard the powerful declaration, “You are now righteous in My sight.And because of the sacrifice of Jesus, you will never experience the wrath of God."
Many who profess Christ are on "death-row" today because they depend on their ability to keep the law to get right with God and obtain His favour. Such reject His gift of righteousness to us in Christ. This is a testament to unbelief.
As long as Simba was weighed down by the burden of guilt that Scar forced on him, he was weak to resist Scar- just as the one who is weighed down by the guilt of his sins and is trying to restore himself by doing what the law commands like Judas has lost the battle. But look what happened when Simba's eyes were opened- for us, our eyes opened to the Truth of Righteousness by faith:
Simba was in an impossible situation, certainly destined for death on the edge of that cliff with Scar's claws digging into his paws. But as soon as the Truth - I AM NOT GUILTY - hit him, power to resist and utterly defeat Scar surged through him. For we who are in Christ, our not guilty verdict has got nothing to do with what we did or how well we kept the Law but through the blood of Jesus: Romans 5:9 says:
"And there is still much more to say of His unfailing love for us! For through the blood of Jesus we have heard the powerful declaration, “You are now righteous in My sight.” And because of the sacrifice of Jesus, you will never experience the wrath of God."
Believer, only when we receive God's abundance of Grace and His gift of righteousness to us in Christ do we get to live in triumph over sin and death:
"For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and His gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one Man, Jesus Christ." Romans 5:17.
"Death" above includes its symptoms of sickness, lack, anxiety, oppression by Satan and every earthly ill. This was our lot under Law. The judgment comes when Satan accuses and guilt and condemnation is received by the sinner. Believer, because of the sacrifice of Jesus, "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1. And in Christ, we never remain in sin.
Believer, know where you stand in Christ: RIGHTEOUS BY FAITH. When Satan comes with his accusations like Uncle Scar, trying to explain or doing things like keeping the law in order to become good with God like Judas will only make you unable to fight and even kill. Bear in mind that our fight is a fight of faith, not carnal (human effort.)
1 Peter 5 says: "8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world."
Don't let anyone misinterpret this passage to mean “do your best to not sin and obey the law in order to be right with God so that the devil won't catch you napping in sin and thus devour you."
We resist the devil by being steadfast in the FAITH: THE LAW IS NOT OF FAITH. TRYING TO KEEP THE TEN COMMANDMENTS OR DOING "GOOD THINGS" IN A BID TO RESIST THE DEVIL IS BEING FAITHLESS.
See the TPT version- "9 Take a decisive stand against him and resist his every attack with strong, vigorous faith….”
We resist the devil with faith, not the law. The law is not of faith. This is the crux of the gospel of Christ: Righteousness by Faith and not by the Law. We see this in Romans 3 where it says of God:
"26...and He makes sinners right in His sight when they believe in Jesus. 27 Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. 28 So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law."
Believer, resist Satan the way Simba resisted Scar: with the weapon of Righteousness; not ours, but God's gift of righteousness to us in Christ. With your mouth, confess your righteousness in Christ that you believe in your heart and salvation will follow, even salvation from sin and death: Romans 10:9-10:
“9 Say with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord.” Believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead. Then you will be saved. 10 With your heart you believe and are made right with God. With your mouth you say what you believe. And so you are saved.”
Believe Right and you will Live Right.
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