Devotional 5/14/20
“Standing Against Our Enemy”
by Dona Hake
Over the next few days we are going to be looking at a series of thoughts relative to standing strong against our enemy the devil. I am sharing with you today from Psalm 118. I have been meditating on this for the past week, and I want you to go here with me as we look at his plots to attempt to weaken and destroy us.
“Let those who fear the Lord say: “His love endures forever.” When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord; he brought me into a spacious place. The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? The Lord is with me; he is my helper. I look in triumph on my enemies. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes. All the nations surrounded me, but in the name of the Lord I cut them down. They surrounded me on every side, but in the name of the Lord I cut them down. They swarmed around me like bees, but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns; in the name of the Lord I cut them down. I was pushed back and about to fall, but the Lord helped me. The Lord is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation.” Psalm 118:4-14 NIV
In this Psalm the psalmist is exclaiming how he was surrounded by nations but he cut them down. He was surrounded on every side but he cut them down. His enemy swarmed around him like bees but he cut them down. We see here he was pushed back and about to fall but the Lord caught him!
The psalmist acknowledged his problem and his fears yet he knew how to fight and overcome his enemy. There are times our enemy can seem so big. There are times we can feel there is no way out because circumstances SURROUND us. And then there are times that our mind is bombarded with confusion and thoughts coming at us like a swarm of bees. Most people react in fear to swarming bees and this is exactly what our enemy wants to do to us with anxious and fearful thoughts. We too can cut these things down by the power of God at work in us!
Here are some questions I would like you to ponder…
Do you know your personal enemies?
Do you understand how your weaknesses get you in trouble ?
Are you quick to deal with them when you do recognize them or do you ignore them?
It is very important that we understand these things because these are the doors the devil will try to walk through and attack your spiritual walk.
The Lord speaks to us in His Word that we need to tend to our hearts for out of our hearts flow the issues of life. Part of tending to a garden is being able to discern the weeds from plants that are fruit or flower bearing. The enemy’s weeds must be recognized and dealt with or they will surely do harm to our spiritual garden.
I leave you with this scripture and I look forward to sharing with you more over the next few days about resisting the devil, and cutting down his attempts and works that are trying to destroy us.
“Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour. But resist him, be firm in your faith [against his attack—rooted, established, immovable], knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being experienced by your brothers and sisters throughout the world. [You do not suffer alone.]”
1 Peter 5:8-9 – AMP
1 Peter 5:8-9 – AMP