He Worries Whom He Can’t Devour

I am an avid fan of hymn-writer Isaac Watts (1674-1748). He authored many celebrated songs, a few of which are still used in our churches today. "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross" is probably the greatest hymn ever written and Watts' most famous work. Recently, I stumbled across a lesser-known hymn by Watts and wanted to share its powerful message with you today.

Now Satan comes with dreadful roar

And threatens to destroy;

He worries whom he can't devour

With a malicious joy.

The New Testament teaches that there is an enemy to the believer, an adversary who "prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8). The concept of "the devil" has fallen out of fashion in many circles. But for me, the idea that there is a real, personal evil at work behind the scenes remains evident. That said, I don't spend much time thinking about him. His greatest instrument is deception, and his greatest power is in creating fear. The more I worry about what he is up to, the more power I give him. The Psalmist warned, "Fret not yourself because of evildoers" (Psalm 37:1). The enemy loves for us to forget that he has already been dethroned. As our Lord said, "Now will the ruler of this world be cast out" (John 12:31).

Ye sons of God, oppose his rage,

Resist, and he'll be gone;

Thus did our dearest Lord engage

And vanquish him alone.

Both Peter and James teach us that resisting Satan is the same as defeating Satan (1 Peter 5:9; James 4:7). For all his posturing, the devil is a coward. He has no desire to fight the power of the Lord of Heaven. When tempted, Jesus said, "Be gone, Satan," and then the devil left him (Matthew 4:10-11). Satan only succeeds when we willingly offer him a place in our lives and in our hearts.

Now he appears almost divine,

Like innocence and love;

But the old serpent lurks within

When he assumes the dove.

If the devil is so limited, why is the world so wicked and influenced by his will? Remember that his greatest instrument is deception. Satan rarely appears to be Satan. He "disguises himself as an angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:14). He does not ask you to sin; he asks you to trust in your own wisdom. He does not offer you death; he holds out something that looks a lot like freedom from restraints and morality. He does not tell you that his offer is harmful to you and everything you love; he tells you that the fruit in the center of the Garden will make you like God (Genesis 3:4-5).

Fly from the false deceiver's tongue,

Ye sons of Adam, fly;

Our parents found the snare too strong,

Nor should the children try.

Adam and Eve listened to the lie of Satan and fell to it. If we bargain with evil, we will fall into the same trap, but we do not have to choose such folly. "We would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs" (2 Corinthians 2:11). We have the opportunity to learn from our ancient parents' failure. More than that, we can learn from our Lord's success. "The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil" (1 John 3:8).

I know it is a scary world out there. The headlines preach bad news every day, and they can be quite convincing. The enemy wants you to believe that light is waning and evil is ascending. It isn't. The enemy fell the day our Lord went to the cross. He is vanquished, a wounded lion trying to do all the harm he can before the story ends. He has no power that you do not give him, neither in this world nor the next. Do not let your fear of what you think he is doing become the tool by which he does it!

Today, I’m grateful for the victory of our Lord over the enemy and the promise of our own victory in the Lord's strength. "Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen." (1 Peter 5:9-11).

And I am grateful for Isaac Watts, who set the story of Christ's victory to music. Dr. Benjamin Williams is the Senior Minister at the Edgemere Church of Christ in Wichita Falls, TX and a regular writer at So We Speak. Check out his books The Faith of John’s Gospel and Why We Stayed or follow him on Twitter, @Benpreachin.