Inner Vigilance and the I Am

Neville's Inner Vision

To Neville Goddard, the verse is not about an external enemy but about your own state of consciousness. The 'devil' is the roaring motif of fear that arises when you forget who you are. Be sober—clear the mind from images and stories that distract you; be vigilant—watch the thoughts as they arise, without surrender. The adversary roams for those who have not yet discovered the power of I AM. When you affirm I AM, you become the awareness that cannot be touched by appearances. The lion loses its roar in your recognition that you are the dreamer, and the dream is subject to your conscious choice. The verse asks you to revise the scene by assuming the end you desire; you are safe in the realized presence of I AM. Fear fades when you inhabit the feeling that you are always present, unchanged, and unthreatened by any projection. Your life becomes a daily demonstration of the truth that the outer world mirrors your inner state; as you awaken to the I AM, the devouring impulse dissolves into peace.