Wednesday, August 28, 2024
Though an army deploys against me, my heart will not be afraid; though a war breaks out against me, I will still be confident. I have asked one thing from the Lord; it is what I desire: to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, gazing on the beauty of the Lord and seeking him in his temple. For he will conceal me in his shelter in the day of adversity; he will hide me under the cover of his tent; he will set me high on a rock. Then my head will be high above my enemies around me; I will offer sacrifices in his tent with shouts of joy. I will sing and make music to the Lord. Psalm 27:3-6
A Real Enemy
As Christians, we go to battle every single day. It may not be the exact kind of battle David is talking about here as he references an army and a war in verse 3. Psalm 27 was used by David in preparation for battle. We especially need to prepare for a battle every day in a different way as our battle is with an unseen enemy. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens. Ephesians 6:12
We can be strong and confident in the power of the Lord as we go to battle just as David did. We may feel fear and anxiety some days, but we have a Lord who has gone before us and has won the victory! We can find peace in Him for our hearts knowing He is victorious. We can rest in that knowledge. Whatever we face, He has already faced it for us. We can lean on Him. Though an army deploys against me, my heart will not be afraid; though a war breaks out against me, I will still be confident. v3
Our enemy is real and dangerous, and he is on the prowl every day. We have to keep our head in the game and trust in the One who will shelter us in our day of adversity. He hides us away and lifts us up. He is worthy of our praise. "Shouts of joy" comes from the Hebrew word teru’ah and was often used as a military victory shout.
Sometimes we are at the edge of the battlefield waiting. Sometimes we are in the thick of a battle for what seems like forever. Waiting on God makes us strong for battle. We will be obedient to His command to wait when we know we cannot fight the battle in our own power. We NEED the Lord. The strength and courage we require comes only from Him, and His plans are good and worth waiting for.
We don’t have to be afraid. God is our fortress. When David said, “He will set me high on a rock.”, he was thinking of a high, rocky fortress which offered maximum protection against an enemy. Our God who protects us and lifts us up is above all and over all. He is more powerful than any foe we will ever meet.
Have you prepared for the battle before you? To prepare you need to do three things:
Be vigilant – know your enemy is real and on the prowl.
Be knowledgeable – know God’s word and trust Him.
Be confident – in the knowledge that God has already won the victory, and we can lean into Him and rest in Him. We can trust Him because He holds the victory in His hands.
Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. 1 Peter 5:8
