Psalm 7 is a song of David sung to the Lord about his enemy, Cush, who was from the Jewish tribe of Benjamin. That is about all we know here. The tribe of Benjamin was King Saul's tribe, so perhaps this relative of the former king was chasing after David relentlessly. David's reaction: Lord, my God, I trust in You for protection. Save me and rescue me from those who are chasing me. Otherwise, like a lion they will tear me apart. They will rip me to pieces, and no one can save me. (vs 1-2)
Ever felt ripped to pieces? Ever had someone come at you with the intent to destroy your reputation or even your life? On the day after the ten year anniversary of 9/11, it seems appropriate to speak of our enemy and his defeat. David's enemy, and ours, is out to kill us...not simply bite us on the hand. Defense is the proper reaction to the onslaught of attacks that are inevitable for a Christian. Be alert and self-controlled. Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him!!! Standing firm in your faith because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of sufferings. (I Peter 5:8)
Hope you aren't laughing, thinking how silly the talk about the devil is. He is as real as Al Qaeda and just as determined to ruin you. The thief comes only to steal, to kill and to destroy. (John 10:10) What happens to the warrior who doesn't see the battle? She is cut down before she has even raised her sword. Maybe things aren't always what they seem. Perhaps the enemy is greater than the woman next door who gossips about you incessantly or the woman who stole your husband. Your enemy aims for the heart because once you lose your hope in God, the devil can take you almost anywhere. Doesn't even need to physically kill you because you are dead inside already. Be alert.
Our enemy doesn't seem to really be a lion. He is like a lion, growling and ominous, coming our way to scare us into submission lest he eat us alive. But being like a lion is not being one. The thrilling thing about being a Christian is that we can stand our ground because in our lives this enemy has already been defeated. We just need to know that. Would you be so afraid of a lion without any teeth? Our enemy is not a cartoon lion. He is real. But he is powerless when we are armed. At His cross, Jesus ended the rule of Satan over those who believe. He canceled the debt which listed all the rules we failed to follow. He took away that record with its rules and nailed it to the cross. God stripped the spiritual rulers and powers of their authority. With the cross, he won the victory and showed the world they were powerless. (Colossians 2: 14-15)
So, put on the whole armor of God so that you CAN fight against the devil's evil tricks because our fight is not against people on this earth but against the rulers and authorities and powers of this world's darkness, against the spiritual powers of evil in the heavenly world. Then on the day of evil you will be able to stand strong. And when you have finished the whole fight, you will still be standing! (Ephesians 6)
Ever felt ripped to pieces? Ever had someone come at you with the intent to destroy your reputation or even your life? On the day after the ten year anniversary of 9/11, it seems appropriate to speak of our enemy and his defeat. David's enemy, and ours, is out to kill us...not simply bite us on the hand. Defense is the proper reaction to the onslaught of attacks that are inevitable for a Christian. Be alert and self-controlled. Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him!!! Standing firm in your faith because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of sufferings. (I Peter 5:8)
Hope you aren't laughing, thinking how silly the talk about the devil is. He is as real as Al Qaeda and just as determined to ruin you. The thief comes only to steal, to kill and to destroy. (John 10:10) What happens to the warrior who doesn't see the battle? She is cut down before she has even raised her sword. Maybe things aren't always what they seem. Perhaps the enemy is greater than the woman next door who gossips about you incessantly or the woman who stole your husband. Your enemy aims for the heart because once you lose your hope in God, the devil can take you almost anywhere. Doesn't even need to physically kill you because you are dead inside already. Be alert.
Our enemy doesn't seem to really be a lion. He is like a lion, growling and ominous, coming our way to scare us into submission lest he eat us alive. But being like a lion is not being one. The thrilling thing about being a Christian is that we can stand our ground because in our lives this enemy has already been defeated. We just need to know that. Would you be so afraid of a lion without any teeth? Our enemy is not a cartoon lion. He is real. But he is powerless when we are armed. At His cross, Jesus ended the rule of Satan over those who believe. He canceled the debt which listed all the rules we failed to follow. He took away that record with its rules and nailed it to the cross. God stripped the spiritual rulers and powers of their authority. With the cross, he won the victory and showed the world they were powerless. (Colossians 2: 14-15)
So, put on the whole armor of God so that you CAN fight against the devil's evil tricks because our fight is not against people on this earth but against the rulers and authorities and powers of this world's darkness, against the spiritual powers of evil in the heavenly world. Then on the day of evil you will be able to stand strong. And when you have finished the whole fight, you will still be standing! (Ephesians 6)
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