Wolves live among us.

They seek to divide and conquer the flock.

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They are patient–always waiting for the opportune time to strike.

They harass and confuse their prey, hoping to create chaos and panic.

They isolate their victims, giving them no chance to escape.

One by one, they pick off the unprotected and the weak.

Wolves in the wild are a powerful force to be reckoned with. But wolves in the spirit realm are much more bloodthirsty and deadly.

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In the natural world, it’s often the stronger, larger animal that overcomes the weaker, less aggressive one. Yet, in the spiritual realm, this paradigm is flipped on its head. Only in God’s Kingdom can a significantly weaker species claim victory over a much fiercer, more lethal predator. Only in God’s Kingdom can an innocent, humble lamb, defeat a ravenous wolf.

The Church, the Shepherd and the Wolves

Recently, Messianic Rabbi and best-selling author Jonathan Cahn delivered an inspiring sermon that speaks truth to the heart of every intercessor who is facing discouragement or obstacles that seem immovable. In his message titled the Mystery of the Wolves, Cahn describes the fascinating connection between wolves, lambs, the Church and Israel.

He begins by describing the symbolic relationship between Jesus and His followers. Leaders of the church (pastors/priests) are called shepherds, while congregations are flocks of sheep. Of course, Jesus is the Good Shepherd over all of them.

In the wild, sheep are defenseless against wolves and other predators. As a result, they need a person (shepherd) to keep them alive. Practically defenseless, unprotected sheep will fall prey to savage wolves who will snatch them one after the other.

Wolves are used as a metaphor for evil in the Bible because of their cunning, predatory behavior. In Matthew 7:15 Jesus warns his sheep, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”

Other verses teach that when someone is under the influence of evil, he/she is like a wolf.

Acts 20:29 says I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Malicious, harmful, destructive people (wolves) will sneak into the church, seeking to divide the flock and destroy God’s works.

Satan is the Chief Wolf

The ultimate wolf, however, isn’t the people within church, but rather the cunning deceiver himself–Satan. His greatest desire is to destroy the Lamb of God (Messiah Jesus) and kill the flock of the Good Shepherd. He is the antithesis of the sheep, constantly warring against them and their shepherd.

As the sheep who belong to the Good Shepherd (Jesus), we must not only understand who the wolf is, but what his strategies of attack are. In this way, we can avoid being trapped and viciously assaulted.

How Does the Wolf Attack

Wolves follow a herd closely, knowing that their very presence can cause panic among the herd. Darting back and forth, they cause fear and confusion. Some wolves create distractions by barking, baring their teeth or staring down individual animals. Working as a team, they look for any gaps in the flock where they can quickly attack and isolate as many sheep as possible. They identify the very young, old, weak, weary, wounded, lame, crippled or sick among the flock–these are the easiest prey to catch. If they can separate a lamb from its mother, they will do it. Whatever it takes to make the kill.

Living with Wolves, a non-profit group dedicated to educating others about wolves, explains “Wolves are opportunists. They test their prey, sensing any weakness or vulnerability through visual cues and even through hearing and scent. Contrary to ambush predators that rely on the element of surprise and a short and intense burst of energy to secure their prey, wolves are endurance or coursing predators. They chase their prey, often over longer distances, sometimes even a few miles, in order to find the right animal or opportunity.”

Jonathan Cahn stresses that the hunting tactics of wolves in the wild mirror the demonic kingdom’s strategies in the spirit realm.

Don’t Panic

As wolves seek to attack and devour their prey so too does Satan and his demons. There are spiritual wolves which cause chaos and confusion in an individual’s life, in the nation, or in the world. Attacks are designed to throw God’s sheep into a panic. The demonic wants the flock to scatter so they become isolated, trapped and ensnared. Cahn reveals that the word panic derives from the Greek God Pan, a pagan deity that causes humans to irrationally flee in fear. This pagan word denotes a pagan reaction and thus, it shouldn’t be the response of the Children (Sheep) of God. Cahn emphatically exhorts, “When you’re under attack, don’t panic.” Instead, be calm and turn to the Good Shepherd–Messiah Jesus– for protection.

Don’t Be Forced into a Corner

Like wolves in the wild, the enemy wants to corner his prey so he can trap them. Beware of situations where the enemy tries to ensnare you. Even if cornered, however, God will always provide a way of escape for His sheep.

Distraction Before Capture

Perhaps the most efficient and effective method used by both wild and spiritual wolves is the element of distraction. The enemy wants you to focus on the insignificant or unimportant issues. He wants you to turn your eyes away from Jesus and instead hone in on worldly things such as gossip, division, negativity, social media narratives, unbiblical practices, or false doctrines. His decoys will be deployed in rapid succession, barking up a storm. Meanwhile, the rest of the wolves are tearing society apart. They are tearing our youth apart. They are shredding our biblical values.

Wounds Attract Wolves

The wolf will target those who are weak, weary, and wounded. Thus, the sheep must strengthen themselves in the Word, pray without ceasing, and be quick to forgive. The enemy can smell bitterness and open wounds, making his prey easier to attack. He wants the sheep to remain in victimhood, so they cannot rise out of the pit. To avoid the trap, God must heal all wounds and use them for His glory.

It’s important to remember that the young are especially vulnerable prey. The newly saved need to be guarded and encouraged, while those who are lost need evangelism and prayer.

Wolves Isolate

The enemy will always isolate his prey. In fact, the wolf’s calling card is separation and division. It thrives on a lack of unity. Wolves divide the flock so they can conquer it. So too the enemy seeks to divide families, the nation and the world. In this way, he can scatter and conquer us.

Zechariah 13:7 states, “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.”

The Jewish People Have Been Attacked by Wolves

The spiritual wolves of this world have not only attacked followers of the Good Shepherd, they have also targeted the nation of Israel. Cahn explains that history shows the Jewish people have become scattered throughout the earth. Separated from their Messiah as a wandering people, the enemy has zoned in on them like a bullseye. Relentless predators seek them out as prey.

Adolf Hitler and his Nazi followers tried to destroy the Jewish people. It just so happens that the name Adolf means wolf in Old German (Adalwolf). This bloodthirsty, demonically charged man pursued the Jews like a wolf, sending his ferocious Nazi packs to round them up and kill them. But God had other plans. Out of the ashes He brought this scattered flock back together, unifying them once again as a new nation. The wolves did not win.

Even more amazing is that God sent His son Jesus, known as the Lamb of God, to defeat all of the wolves in our lives and in this world. Jonathan Cahn proclaims, “In the animal kingdom the wolf wins against the lamb, but in the Kingdom of God, the lamb wins against the wolf.”

There’s an ongoing battle and the sheep must be aware of it so they can fight the good fight and win. Cahn stresses that there are certain truths all sheep must know and claim:

If the enemy is your attacker, then God is your protector.

If the enemy is your accuser, then God is your defender.

If the enemy is the wolf of your life, then God is the shepherd of your life.

No matter what, GOD WINS. Good will always overcome evil.

Never grow weary of doing good.

Intercessors, as the flock of the Good Shepherd we must stay close to the Lord and never let the enemy find a gap in our relationship with Him. Do not let attacks discourage you from doing good. In fact, when the warfare gets harder, go deeper with the Lord.

In John 10:11-12,14, Jesus says, I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them… I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me.

 Lord Jesus, this world is full of wolves. Do not let us focus on their barks, snarls, teeth and claws. Instead, let us look to You. No matter what we face in this world, you are the Lamb of God who defeats every predator.

Where have you seen the spiritual wolves attacking? How can we defeat these spiritual predators?

To watch Jonathan Cahn’s sermon, The Mystery of the Wolves, click on this link.

Angela Rodriguez is an author, blogger and former teacher who studies the historical and biblical connections between Israel and the United States. You can visit her blogs at 67owls.com and 100trumpets.com. She is also the author of Psalm 91: Under the Wings of Jesus, and her first children’s book, Hallelujah’s Great Ride, was released in September 2023. Photo Credit: Chris Ensminger on Unsplash.