Thursday, February 4, 2016

It's me! Mr. Nice Guy!

Psalm 35:1-14

February 4

   I can’t imagine any of you reading this having enemies who hate, despise and wish evil upon you. “I’m Mr. (or Ms.) Nice Guy (or Gal).”

    But like it or not, we do have enemies. It may be in the form of a person we know, someone we have wronged in the past or someone who thinks we wronged them. It may be in the form of someone we don’t directly know, perhaps a thief, a terrorist or someone who succumbs to road rage due to our poor driving. 
 
    Or your enemy may not be a person, it could be an illness, a disease or a habitual sin. It could be your own inner demons, thoughts in your head that accuse and torment you mercilessly.

   Ultimately, your enemy and mine are the devil and his demons. “Yes, Virginia, there really is a Satan, and he’s not like the likeable Lucifer on the new television show.” As we read Psalm 35 today and tomorrow, remember that there is evil. There are mean people. There are very real enemies, personally, physically, medically and mentally. But the source of all evil is spiritual. And we must battle it first and foremost as a spiritual battle.

    So pray Psalm 35 as a battle plan against the enemy. Don’t pray your rote prayers like no one is listening because our heavenly Father is listening and willing to fight for you. And “your adversary, the devil, walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” Just remember in prayer, we are on the side of the ultimate lion of Judah, "Then my soul will rejoice in the Lord and delight in his salvation. My whole being will exclaim, ‘Who is like you, Lord?’” Ps. 35: 9-10