Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about
like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
--1 Peter 5:8
As we move farther on and mount higher up in the Christian life we
may expect to encounter greater difficulties in the way and meet
increased hostility from the enemy of our souls....
Satan hates the true Christian for several reasons. One is that
God loves him, and whatever is loved by God is sure to be hated by
the devil. Another is that the Christian, being a child of God,
bears a family resemblance to the Father and to the household of
faith. Satan's ancient jealousy has not abated nor his hatred for
God diminished in the slightest. Whatever reminds him of God is
without other reason the object of his malignant hate.
A third reason is that a true Christian is a former slave who has
escaped from the galley, and Satan cannot forgive him for this
affront. A fourth reason is that a praying Christian is a constant
threat to the stability of Satan's government. The Christian is a
holy rebel loose in the world with access to the throne of God.
Satan never knows from what direction the danger will come. That
Incredible Christian, 71.
