BE SELF-CONTROLLED AND ALERT. YOUR ENEMY THE DEVIL PROWLS AROUND LIKE A ROARING LION LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO DEVOUR
(1 Peter 5:8).

The world we live in is divided into the World of Truth and the World of Deception. Imagine with me an imaginary line on the ground from left to right that reaches into infinity, both ways.  On this side of the line is the World of Deception. On the other side is the World of Truth.

You and I start out in the World of Deception, where each and every one of our interpretations has been given over to the governance of deception. We would love to enter into the World of Truth, but there is no way we could cross the line into the Truth, because it is guarded by a fierce lion that paces back and forth, guarding the Truth with his own life.

However, this is not the end of the story.  There is someone else also standing on the line that separates the World of Truth from the World of Deception.  His name is Jesus. Jesus beckons you to come closer to witness a demonstration of the fierceness of the roaring lion that is guarding the Truth.  He pulls a blowtorch the size of a cannon forward, and aims it at the lion.  Suddenly a huge flame leaps from the cannon and the lion’s mane blows in the force of the flame, but the lion is not affected by the flame…at all.

I AM THE GATE; WHOEVER ENTERS THROUGH ME WILL BE SAVED. THEY WILL COME IN AND GO OUT, AND FIND PASTURE
(John 10:9).

But then, Jesus shows you something else that you did not notice before—He is holding the fierce lion by a chain!  Tenderly, Jesus explains, “I am the gate. If you surrender your own understanding to Me, you will enter through Me into the World of Truth. You will trample the great lion and find pasture. Because you love Me, I will rescue you. I will protect you, for you acknowledge My Name. I am in control of the lion.”

‘YOU WILL TREAD UPON THE LION AND THE COBRA; YOU WILL TRAMPLE THE GREAT LION AND THE SERPENT.  BECAUSE HE LOVES ME,’ SAYS THE LORD, ‘I WILL RESCUE HIM; I WILL PROTECT HIM, FOR HE ACKNOWLEDGES MY NAME’
(Psalm 91:13-14).

In which world do YOU live, most of the time: in the World of Truth…or the World of Deception? How do you know?

Do not try to fight the great lion by yourself.  He is a spirit and cannot even be destroyed by fire.  Instead, surrender your interpretations to Jesus.  He will make sure you cross the line and enter the World of Truth safely, through Him.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I want to live in the Truth…always. Therefore, I yield my daily interpretations…my assumptions…my conclusions to You. Redeem them, Lord, and redeem me from the World of Deception, so I may live in the World of Truth.