Hunter or Hunted

The wicked man flees though no one pursues, but the righteous are as a bold as a lion. Prov. 28:1

Today in one of my personal spiritual disciplines I read the Proverb of the day – there are 31 so I try to read the one corresponding with the day of the month every month. There is much wisdom for life in reading the wisdom writings of Scripture. Today, like many days one jumped off the page fresh, new, and powerful.

Is your spiritual life the life of predator or prey? Are you the hunter or the hunted? Many “Christians” live scared of failure and void of the victorious power that is theirs in Christ and never understand why. They never understand such promises as “we are more than conquerors in Christ.” They never experience the truth that we “can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.” They just never get it because they never get there.

I believe this verse gives some powerful insights into why. We have an enemy that is like a lion. He is waiting to devour us. The enemy came to kill, steal, and destroy. He is always at work. He is constantly tearing at our flesh and lives and our spirits. He reminds us of every wicked act. He causes one act of sin to become months of failure because we believe the lies of the Prince of Lies and believe that we are nothing more than sinners saved by grace.

So we live like wicked men and women who flee for no reason. We run although there really is no one or nothing chasing us. We flee although there is nothing to flee. We run in all kinds of ways. Some simply run away. They fail and without realizing it, they decide to seek a life of failure. They venture further and further in to a life and path of sin. Some flee by running hard after good things. Oddly enough they go after all the right things for the wrong reasons. They are still trying to earn their righteousness because of the guilt they feel over their wickedness.
They have not grasped the truth that there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. They do not understand that they no longer have to live the life of prey. They have the privilege to be on the offensive. Lions do not walk around in fear, gazelles do. Why? Lions eat gazelles, but no matter how great a gazelle you are your only hope is to outrun the other gazelles when a lion shows up. That is not the life of a Christ-follower because greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world.

The key to living a life on the offensive, to living a life of a hunter – perhaps a fisher of men, is to understand who you are in Christ and who you are not in Christ. You, in Christ are a sinner saved by grace, but that is not all you are. You are more than a conqueror. You are the salt of the Earth. You are the Light of the World. You are holy nation, a royal priesthood, a people set apart to God. You are not what the enemy says you are. You are not simply one who will enter into the presence of God as one escaping through the flames – or at least you don’t have to be.

So put on the full armor of God. Before you take up the Sword –the Word of God and your only offensive weapon – put on the breastplate of righteousness. Remember, though, that your righteousness is not your own – you were bought with a price. Your righteousness does not fade when you fail. Your righteousness is not defeated when you are. Your righteousness is not sold when you sin. Your righteousness is not yours. You couldn’t buy it, get it, bribe it, or gain it no matter what you do in life. It is given to you. Free from God. Your righteousness is grace, but it is a gift given you and it is yours.

When fail to see the truth about your righteousness, you take off your breastplate and you are vulnerable to attack, and so you flee. You run as if you are losing a battle. But the problem is that the battle is not your own. It is the Lord’s. It is those moments that you must walk by faith and not by sight. You must decide to stand firm and in the end just stand. Don’t back down. Don’t back away. Stand up and fight. Your righteousness is a done deal, paid in full at Calvary, and given completely from the tomb. You have no need to fear the one who roars like a lion because the Lion of Judah reigns. He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and he is in you, with you, and for you.

So stand up, fight hard, run fast, and go after this world in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. You have nothing to flee and nothing to fear. Live like you are paid for not like you are paying. Run like you are conqueror not like you are conquering. Fight like a predator not like the prey.

Today are you the hunter or the hunted?