Be Careful

Do you know this? We have an enemy that is more dangerous than a wild animal. (Roar of a lion.) He is more dangerous than a lion. (Roar) The lion is called the King of the Beasts. When he roars he sounds so fierce and so strong that the other animals tremble and hide. (Roar) He is wild and fierce. (Lions do not roam wild here, but) Did you know that there is someone more dangerous than a lion here?

God's book, the Bible, says that Satan, the devil, is like a lion going about looking for someone to eat up! Satan is a dangerous enemy. He hates God, and he hates you. He will destroy you if he can. There is only one way to be safe from Satan. You must find someone to help you who is stronger than Satan. There is only one who is stronger. It is Jesus. If you ask Jesus to help you, He will. But first you must ask Jesus to come into your heart and forgive you for all the wrong you have done (to forgive you for all the wrong you have done and ask Him to come into your heart). If you belong to Jesus, He will protect you from Satan and the (evil) spirits. The Bible says that (the Name of) Jesus is a strong tower. When Satan tries to hurt us, we can run into that tower and be safe. This is because Jesus came to earth to die for us. He died and gave His blood, to take the punishment for our sins. Then He rose again. Death could not hold Him because He is God. In this way He defeated Satan and all the evil spirits. (Jesus defeated Satan and all evil spirits. He did this by dying and coming back to life again. He thereby defeated death, Satan and all his helpers.)

Satan tries to scare us when sickness and trouble come. He tries to make us run the wrong way. He tries to frighten us just like a lion roaring. He wants us to be afraid and not to trust Jesus. He wants us to run to the witch doctor or do magic or appease the spirits. But when he tries to scare you, remember the Name of Jesus. Remember that Jesus is stronger than Satan. Jesus is the great and mighty One. By shedding His blood, He broke the power of Satan. You must run to Jesus and pray to Him when Satan tries to scare you or make you do wrong. (Jesus is still alive to help you today.)

But remember this: If you do not think about Jesus and His words, you will not remember (to ask for) His help. If you do not obey His words, you will be ashamed to call His name when you need help. It is important to think about Jesus often. Trust Him and obey Him. Then when trouble comes, you can ask Him and He will always help you. He says, "I will never leave you." He is always there when you need Him. But you must remember that Jesus' name (Jesus) is like a high tower. He is a place of safety. (Can end here if necessary for sake of time.) (If you trust Jesus, He will take care of you.)

There is something else to remember. Sometimes a lion does not roar. Sometimes he lies in the sun and closes his eyes. Then he does not look dangerous. He looks soft and pretty (as a kitten). God tells us that Satan is like that, too, sometimes. God says, "Don't let Satan fool you. He will pretend to be just like an angel from God." Satan will talk good. He will talk smooth. He will tell you that small sins are not important. He will tell you to forget others and think of yourself. He will tell you that it is all right to cheat a rich man, or to tell small lies, or to steal small amounts. He will tell you that God's commands are not important. Oh yes, Satan will pretend to tell you the truth, but he is like the lion in the sun. Suddenly, his teeth and his claws will tear you. You will find Satan has fooled you, and you are in big trouble.

Then there is another way a lion acts. Sometimes he is very quiet and hides in the tall grass. He pretends he is not there at all. And when someone comes close, he grabs them. Satan is like that too. Sometimes he hides. He tries to make folks think that there is no evil - no devil - no hell - no judgment. People are fooled. They do not see that he is hiding just like a lion in the tall grass. When they believe his lies instead of God's words, he will grab them and make them follow him.

What does God say? Listen. God says once a man dies, after that comes the judgment. God says the wicked shall be thrown into hell along with Satan and the spirits. But Satan does not want us to believe that, so sometimes he hides for a little while. Don't be fooled. Believe God and obey Him. He sent Jesus to help us. He said, "This is my beloved Son. Listen to Him." God says, "Resist the devil and he will run from you." How can you resist the devil? By asking Jesus to help you; by obeying His words and not listening to Satan's lies. Be sure to trust Jesus, for He is the great and mighty One.