Barricae.com: Articles

Writings by Barri Cae Mallin

The Lion of God - Ariel

Monday 20 November 2006 - 15:24:11

Proverbs tells us that the lion is the strongest animal among beasts (Pro. 30:30). Samson, David and Benaniah (2 Sam 23:20) were all lion killers. Lions at one time roamed the streets of Jerusalem. Daniel slept in a den of lions (Dan. 6). Believers even stopped the mouths of lions (Heb. 11:33). The lion is the symbol of Israel (Gen. 49:9) and many of us look upon the lion as a symbol of strength.

However, the lion is also the symbol of Satan "Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." 1 Peter 5:8. As much as I love the symbol of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, I must remember that Satan prowls about us. I learned this all too well very recently.

It is an amazing testimony that a Jew like me can come to know the Messiah, Jesus, Yeshua, but even more amazing, it is a remarkable testimony that God would have saved an adulterer, a fornicator, and a thief as I was, twenty-seven years ago. He is a great God and it is true that "if anyone is in Messiah, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come" (2 Cor. 5:17). This isn't only th e Good news, this is GREAT news!

It is easy at times to become complacent in one's walk with the LORD. I can find myself judging those men and women of God who have fallen into sin. Yet the LORD allowed me to see my own depravity. He brought me back to what I was before I was saved, and showed me just how close I really am to falling into my own past history.

The devil is sly and cunning, and he knows just how to sneak and slither his way into my life. Even though I can be prayed up, I can even have tempting thoughts right in the middle of my devotional time! Ha, I am not so holy, am I! A separated life? I wish I could have holy thoughts all the time, but that is not the case. Only the Lord knows what dwells in the inner recesses of my heart, in my mind and in my spirit.

& nbsp; Just recently, I learned just how close I was to the precipice of falling into sin. It would have been easy to have yielded to temptation. Easy. Comforted to a small point to know that even Yeshua Jesus was tempted, it still took everything I had to fight that cunning lion, satan. Why do I entertain these thoughts of sin? I know what is right. I don't like fights like this, especially when I am fighting with myself. Yet this was the test that the LORD had planned for me. It came down to "white knuckle abstinence". One minute at a time, one hour at a time, one day at a time — I would not allow my self to imagine and entertain any thoughts that would lead me away from my number one love interest, Jesus. One minute at a time, one hour at a time, I chose to not entertain any thoughts of temptation. I had to make a choice to bring every fleeting thought captive to my Messiah, Jesus. My spiritual knuckles were white from holding onto God w ith everything I had. I did not want to sin. I wanted to chose right.

God helped me each step, God helped me to get through that first hour one, day one. God has given me victory. But I have the victory in the battle. War still rages around me.

In my weakness, the LORD is made strong. Victory is found only with the Lion of the tribe of Judah. The word for lion in Hebrew is ari. El is God in Hebrew. Ariel, the Lion of God. Ari Y'hudah, the Lion of Judah. Only by the power of the Lion of Judah can we walk the perfect way. Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach.

Yours, O LORD, is the greatness

and the power

and the glory

and the victory

and the majesty,

indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth;

Yours is the dominion, O LORD, and

You exalt Yourself as head over all.

Both riches and honor come from You, and

You rule over all, and

in Your hand is power and might; and

it lies in Your hand to make great and to strengthen everyone.

Now therefore, our God, we thank You, and praise Your glorious name. I Chron. 29:11-13

Writings by Barri Cae Mallin

The Lion of God - Ariel

Other Links